Light and Dark
by The Caged Bird
Summary: [Shounen ai: NejiSasu] Why is it you always want what you just threw away? Why is it you reject the very thing that will bring you love?
1. Glimmer of Light

**Hey, everyone, this is my very first fanfic ever. nod So, it's gonna stink. But I'd really appreciate comments and constructive criticism.**

**Summary: **As life continues in Konoha, Sasuke starts noticing something he wasn't expecting... This story will primarily be Sasuke/Neji, but you might hints of my other favorite pairings in there.

* * *

**Chapter 1- "Glimmer of Light"**

_Sasuke's being his quiet, dark, brooding self again,_ Uzumaki Naruto rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze back to Haruno Sakura, who was sitting, waiting for the always-late jounin who was supposed to be leading their team once again. The pink-haired girl was no longer the quiet, shy girl he had known; she had grown in a competent shinobi who could hold her own in any match she entered. Her hair was held back by a green headband. Naruto grinned at that; Lee's present had obviously been accepted. His thought was interrupted as the puff of smoke announcing Hatake Kakashi's arrival.

"You're late!" Sakura called out.

"Well, as I was leaving, this giant tiger bolted from the forest…"

"LIAR!" chorused Naruto and Sakura.

Sasuke just grunted. He never said anything much after he returned from facing his brother and Orochimaru. Of course, he had never said anything much before he left either. Naruto was never sure if he knew what was going on behind those dark Uchiha eyes…

Sasuke sat back with his arms folded and watched the jounin try to explain to Naruto and Sakura about his late arrival. He ignored the customary scene and glanced over to the forest across the bridge where they stood. Instantly he activated the Sharingan; something had ducked behind the trees. Kakashi instantly reacted to Sasuke's chakra use, using his jutsu to enter the woods instantly. Naruto and Sakura both launched themselves into the air with chakra, landing in the woods to catch the three intruders. Sasuke locked onto one chakra signature and grabbed at it. He felt his hand turn and found himself in a lock.

"Ohayo, Sasuke," a smooth voice said in his ear.

Sasuke was released and turned to see Hyuuga Neji looking him in the face. The shinobi's Byakugan was activated, explaining how he had been able to see Sasuke's attack. Sasuke ignored the throbbing pain in his arm and gave the Hyuuga a curt nod. Neji responded with an almost-smile, turning to see Ino and Sakura in a total stalemate, while Naruto was gritting his teeth, locked in Shikamaru's **Kagemane no Jutsu**.

"Looks like Team 10 took this match," Kakashi said from his perch in the trees.

Sasuke gritted his teeth; he was not going to let this Hyuuga beat him that easily. He immediately struck with his left fist. Neji had released the Byakugan and wasn't expecting an attack. It hit him solidly on his left cheekbone. The Hyuuga reacted instantly, grabbing at Sasuke's arm before it hit again. Sasuke grabbed Neji's other arm as it came forward using **Harichakra**. The Uchiha shifted his legs, trying to break the Hyuuga's hold on him, but he succeeded in only tangling himself further. The short combat ended with Sasuke holding both Neji's arms captive, with Neji on the ground, holding Sasuke's torso motionless. They wriggled and stretched as much as the good, but Konoha's top two shinobi prodigies were more than a match for each other. Sasuke gritted his teeth and wrestled his shoulders into Neji. This movement brought a certain degree of contact between Sasuke's back and Neji's firm chest. Sasuke stopped and would have blushed if he had not been Sasuke. He released Neji's arms and broke Neji's hold, standing up.

"A draw, I suppose," he said, back to his normal monotonous tone.

Neji still lay on the ground, silken hair splayed out around his head. For some reason, Sasuke felt his ears start to light as Neji moved just slightly on the ground, his pale eyes unreadable.

"Very well, a draw. Lend me a hand," the Hyuuga said with a half-smile.

Sasuke showed no expression but lowered a hand to Neji. The shinobi smirked and pulled Sasuke back down on the ground, standing up himself. The white-eyed boy smiled in genuine amusement at Sasuke on the ground and walked off with the rest of Team 10. Sasuke bolted upright, growling under his breath. Naruto was rolling on the forest floor in laughter, while Sakura looked on, amused. Kakashi was unreadable as always.

"HAHAHAH! Sasuke, Konoha's Number One Shinobi, lost to the Hyuuga with the pervert move. I've got to get Neji to teach me that!" Naruto howled between laughs.

Sasuke shot back, "It wasn't a pervert move," and then wondered why he was defending Neji.

Naruto stopped laughing long enough to say, "Yeah right, he embarrassed you right off of him by rubbing you with his body."

Sasuke's dark eyes latched onto Naruto's blue ones, "Of course, now we have to wonder why you noticed it and I didn't."

Naruto stopped laughing instantly. Kakashi let a chuckle burst forth, while Sakura blushed. Sasuke resumed his bored expression as Kakashi laid out training for the rest of the day.

As he walked home late, Sasuke's mind wandered to the events of the early morning. Naruto had said Neji purposefully rubbed up against him. And the white-eyed shinobi's posture while on the ground had reminded Sasuke of a cat, stretching itself for display. Sasuke shook his head; Neji knew how to fluster him, that was all. _That is worrying, if he knows what sets me off. _He put the image of Neji stretching out of his head. As the Uchiha rounded the corner to enter his large, empty house, he was startled to find it wasn't as empty as he'd thought.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke," said the smooth Hyuuga voice.

Sasuke battled the rising heat he felt, "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"This morning. I was surprised you didn't see me coming. But once you retaliated, I thought we'd stay on the ground forever," the white eyes had a hint of amusement in them.

Sasuke made as if to move past him towards the house. Neji sidestepped so that Sasuke's shoulder ran into his own. His arm moved out to the doorpost, keeping Sasuke from entering.

"So, why did you end it so quickly?" Neji whispered.

Sasuke froze. He was so close he could feel the Hyuuga's breath right beneath his ear. It was clogging his mind and preventing him from speaking. _What's going on? Is Neji…hitting on me?_

"I think you were enjoying it too much to continue it," Neji whispered, his breath getting closer.

Sasuke felt the faintest feather-touch of lips on his jawline, before the Hyuuga chuckled beneath his breath.

"See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke waited until the Hyuuga's white-clothed figure turned the corner, before he wrenched the door open and slammed it after him.


	2. Dawn Breaks

**So I put up Chapter 2 right away, because I was bored and wanted to do something. If you can, review both and tell me what you think.**

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**Chapter 2- "Dawn Breaks"**

The sun crested the mountains around Konoha, spilling light over the Hidden Village. The noises of the village began to build up to their bustling level as everyone awoke and set about their daily work. For Sasuke, daily work meant yet another training session with Team 7, unless the Hokage had a mission for them, which was unlikely. Ever since Sasuke and Naruto had returned, Tsunade had stressed the re-formation of Team 7 and the emphasis on rebuilding the team's cohesiveness. The task was easier, since Sasuke and Naruto had made peace and since Sakura had decided to pursue Lee instead of the Uchiha she had wanted for so long.

Sasuke lay in bed, counting the minutes off until he had to get out of the bed and prepare for training. It had been a total of five days since Neji's appearance at the Uchiha house, but Sasuke couldn't seem to brush that feathery touch away from his jaw. It lingered no matter how many times he rubbed or showered it. It was worse than sap on your fingers. He growled angrily; Neji was beginning to get under his skin. Nothing active had happened with him in the last five days, but every now and again, Sasuke would catch him looking at him over lunch or something. It was annoying the Uchiha immensely. Sasuke had crushed the single flutter in his stomach every time Neji's pale, white eyes met his. Once that was done, he had glared back until the Hyuuga smirked and looked away. Even though Sasuke knew he had responded rightly, he couldn't shake the feeling he was losing to the Byakugan-user. He looked up at the window and noticed the sun was much higher than it should have been.

_Damn it. Why am I oversleeping now of all times? I never have before. _He ignored the fact that certain handsome, white-eyed shinobi was hitting on him constantly. _I was _not_ daydreaming about Neji_, he told himself firmly. Throwing on his clothes and shuriken holster, he leapt through the window to the courtyard. As he turned the corner to head towards the training ground, he ran full-force into an oncoming person.

"Gomen kudasai," he muttered already moving aside.

To his surprise, the arms which had instinctively encircled him on contact didn't release. Sasuke looked up into pale eyes.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun," Neji chuckled.

Sasuke shifted a little, leaning back until Neji's grip on his waist broke.

"Get off me, Hyuuga," he commanded.

Neji's mouth quirked in that self-satisfied smile, "Our two teams are doing a joint scouting mission today. I offered to get you because you were sleeping late."

Sasuke edged the boy out of his way and started walking towards the bridge, not saying a word. Neji smiled his half-smile and started to follow. Sasuke writhed a bit under the heavy stare he felt.

"Stop it," he said, half-turning his head.

"Stop what?" Neji's voice was innocent and smooth.

Sasuke turned to face him, "Stop looking at me like that."

Neji looked into the black pools of Sasuke's eyes, "Does it bother you?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll stop. If you tell me you don't like it."

Sasuke's breath caught as the formerly-single flutter in his stomach multiplied as Neji edged closer, looking down at him with large, opalescent eyes. Sasuke barely felt Neji's arm slip around his waist and pull him closer. Light and dark eyes locked and did not move. Sasuke leaned his head as far back as he could but found his body made no motion when he asked it to. He swallowed. Neji leaned in a little closer…

Sasuke broke Neji's hypnotic gaze, practically stumbling out of the long-haired boy's embrace. He forced his heart to stop racing and looked back at the placid Hyuuga.

"I don't like it," he said and left.

* * *

The scouting mission was to scout out a caravan from the Grass country, suspected to hide missing nin. Team 7 was assigned to the people: how many shinobi, potential skill levels, and the various types present. Team 10 was asked to assess the territory. If the Grass caravan was a threat, could it be overtaken? By how many? Where? 

Sasuke hid himself on the top of the hill overlooking the slow-moving train. He was busy counting shinobi when Kakashi crawled up next to him.

"How many?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I've counted one shinobi, possibly missing nin, since I don't see a headband, but there should be more as the caravan passes by."

Kakashi said, "I'll get Neji over here. We'll trade Naruto for him."

Sasuke stiffened involuntarily, "Why him?"

Kakashi's look was mildly reproachful, "His Byakugan will be able to detect the enemy shinobi."

Sasuke held in a sigh of relief, "Right."

Kakashi inched backwards, then stopped, "Is there something I should know about, Sasuke?"

Sasuke didn't turn around, "No."

The next thing he knew, Neji was inching his way up by Sasuke. Sasuke made to move aside, until he noticed Neji keeping a proper distance. _Perhaps he accepted I'm not interested_.

"So, only one so far, Sasuke-chan?"

_Apparently not_, "Don't call me that."

"Byakugan."

Sasuke didn't have to move to know Neji's advanced bloodline was penetrating the caravan as they spoke.

"I see two shinobi hiding in the farthest wagon. But why are they hiding from the others?" Neji said, all business now.

"Because they're not hiding from them, they're hiding from us," Sasuke realized.

Before he could signal Kakashi, the nearest missing nin (identified by Sasuke) leapt up into the air towards Sasuke and Neji.

"He sensed your Byakugan!" Sasuke said, accusingly.

Neji regarded him with burning white eyes while assuming his combat stance, "I masked the chakra, Sasuke-chan."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and started making hand seals, "**Goukakyuu no Jutsu**!"

The missing nin barely dodged the giant fireball attack and landed on the ground.

"**Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou**!" Neji said, striking the nin twice, then twice more, then four times, then eight, then sixteen, ending with thirty-two times.

The man stumbled, drawing two kunai and launching himself at the Hyuuga prodigy. Sasuke activated his Sharingan, drew two kunai of his own, and entered the fight. Between two advanced bloodlines, the missing nin faltered quickly. As he fell with Sasuke's kunai through his neck, his fist opened, and a scroll floated to the ground.

"Exploding note!" called Neji, holding Sasuke in front of him and leaping away.

The note detonated, sending a shockwave of energy after them, knocking Neji to the ground. Sasuke fell underneath him, still held by the other boy. The Hyuuga groaned a bit and sat up shakily. He leaned over Sasuke, checking him over for wounds.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" he said.

Sasuke was about to tell Neji to get the hell off of him when he realized the Hyuuga was genuinely concerned. There was no sultry sound to his voice or flirting gleam in his eye.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sasuke responded.

Neji looked relieved, although a bit in pain himself. Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Are you alright?"

"We're fine," Sasuke answered, standing up.

Neji started to sit up on his own but fell backwards. Sasuke caught him as he fell onto him. Lowering him to the ground, Kakashi noticed something.

"Take him back to Konoha, Sasuke. The boy has three kunai embedded in his back."


	3. Morning Light

**Thanks for your reviews, guys; it built up my confidence enough to publish the next chapter. We'll see how this goes. For some reason, this chapter felt a little awkward to write. I think it's because Sasuke's getting a little emotional. A very little.**

Copyright and all that: I think I should probably mention that I really don't own Naruto. I'm not owner/creator/manga-author…but I am this fanfic's author. Now if I owned Naruto, we'd be seeing a lot more of Neji. And Sasuke too.

Notice: Yes, there is yaoi here. No, they _shouldn't_ be acting OOC…besides the yaoi part, of course. No, they haven't even kissed yet.

sylver rain: My first reviewer! You need a badge. I was trying to make both as IC as possible, I'm glad it looked that way to you.

Rebel-blah-blah-blah: Thanks for the encouragement. SasuNeji is my favorite, and there's just not enough of it. Oh well…I'll just have to change that…

Midnight-Sunset: Thanks! I figured Neji would be more likely to initiate some interest…and I just like him. So hot.

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**Chapter 3- "Morning Light"**

Sasuke ignored the many doctors and nurses running around through the Konoha hospital. Yesterday, when he had carried the unconscious Hyuuga into the hospital, the other boy had been snatched away by the doctors for medical treatment. Sasuke had nearly collapsed from chakra exhaustion and therefore been sent home. Early this morning, the doctors had refused to let Sasuke visit, but the Uchiha had not given up. He gone straight to Tsunade and demanded he be given visiting rights. For some reason, the Hokage had allowed him entrance. He walked down the sterile white halls of the hospital, checking the room numbers for Neji's. Upon finding it, he hesitated a moment, then pushed the door open.

What he saw did not comfort him. Neji was lying in the bed, bandages wrapped around his bare ribcage. The Hyuuga was tossing and turning, with sweat pouring down his face. Sasuke turned to get a doctor as the nurse entered the room.

"Has he been like this since yesterday?" Sasuke demanded.

"Yes, he got an infection from the wounds in his back. He's got a high fever."

Sasuke stood motionless in the room. Now that he was here, he didn't know what to do. _Neji protected me. And now he's hurt. No one's ever protected me before._ Last night, Sasuke had felt anger at Neji for endangering himself. Sasuke didn't need anyone to protect him! But then he realized, he'd have done the same for the white-eyed boy in front of him. The nurse looked busy and distracted while she wandered around Neji's room.

"If you need to go, I can stay with him," Sasuke heard himself offer.

The nurse stopped, looking back and forth between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, "Well…alright. But if he changes at all, call me."

"Hn."

Sasuke seated himself in the uncomfortable chair at Neji's side as the nurse left hurriedly. Neji's forehead was dripping with sweat, and he tossed every now and again. Sasuke took a cloth lying beside the bed and mopped Neji's forehead. He noticed Neji's usually lustrous hair was dull and soaked. Sasuke just sat there, unsure of what to do, but not wanting to leave. He sat…and watched. The boy before him had annoyed him to no end for the last five days. He had flirted with him, teased him, and been generally infuriating. Sasuke felt his teeth grit again, _Why did Neji have to take those hits? I'm just another shinobi._ He leaned a little closer to the restless Hyuuga.

"Arigato, Neji-kun."

* * *

Sasuke awoke early on the third day after Neji's hospitalization. Tsunade had declared a free day for the Academy. Some jounin meeting or something. Sasuke stepped into the bath, letting the warm water enfold his limbs. He rested with his head on the back of the tub, letting his eyes close. An image of Neji rose unbidden, _"I think you were enjoying it too much to continue it... So, only one so far, Sasuke-chan?...Are you alright, Sasuke?"_ Sasuke felt his lips quirk a bit; the picture of concern on Neji's face was…_what? What am I thinking?_ Sitting up in the now lukewarm water, Sasuke's face was still frozen, but his mind scrambled for answers. Thinking about Neji had made him uneasy over the other boy's condition. He'd go see him. Sasuke stepped out of the bath and threw on some clothes, giving his hair a quick dry with the towel. He threw the towel to the side and left.

On his way over, Sakura appeared out of nowhere, "Hi, Sasuke-kun! Naruto and I are going to Ichiraku. Would you like to come? Lee, Hinata, and Tenten are coming too."

He kept walking, "No. I'm going to see Neji."

He could almost feel the surprise on Sakura's face, but he didn't turn around. At least she wasn't trying to beg him, as she would have not so long ago. He felt her chakra vanish, probably as she went back to Ichiraku.

As he opened the door to the hospital, the head nurse looked up. Seeing Sasuke, she smiled and motioned for him to go on. It had become a pattern. Every day after training, Sasuke would show up at the hospital. The head nurse would wave him on; Neji's nurse would leave to make her rounds, leaving the Uchiha with her patient. Yesterday, the nurse had asked him to stay a bit longer, since she had a patient with a bad case of…something. He just grunted; he didn't mind. It had been far past midnight before the nurse returned, and she'd found him resting with his head on Neji's bed.

Finding Neji's room, he simply walked in without knocking as he always did. The nurse stood up, smiled at him, and left to make her rounds. Sasuke settled himself into the chair, leaning back and resting. _Why am I here?_ he asked himself. He moved the chair a little closer to Neji and looked. The Hyuuga seemed to be quieter and less restless than before. Sasuke leaned back once again.

The door opened slowly, and Sakura stuck her head in. Behind her appeared Naruto, Hinata, Lee, and Tenten.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered. "We thought since you wanted to see Neji, we'd stop by here as well. We brought you some ramen."

Sasuke crushed the irrational feeling of disappointment in his stomach. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he enjoyed just staying in the room, just he and Neji. It was peaceful, something that Sasuke prized.

"Arigato," he mumbled, accepting the bowl they proffered.

"H-he looks so p-pale," Hinata whispered, going to her cousin's side.

Sasuke grunted, "It's an infection. He looks better today than he did yesterday."

Naruto turned and cocked an eye at him, "You were here yesterday, too?"

Sasuke shot him a silencing glare. The Kyuubi-holder, of course, ignored it.

"So that's where you've been getting off to every night," he continued.

"Visiting the brave boy who saved your life, Sasuke?" said Lee, dramatic as always. "It's a wonderful idea!"

Sasuke's eyes slitted at the Taijutsu master, "Well, since no one _else_ was visiting him…"

The others blushed, looking away. Hinata seemed unsettled, seeing her cousin lying helpless in a hospital room. Sakura noticed she was starting to shake. Tenten moved to her other side, and the two kunoichi helped the Hyuuga girl into a chair.

"I-I haven't come b-because I didn't w-want to see him like this," she whispered, almost to herself.

Tenten and Sakura shot Sasuke angry looks. He felt a twinge of guilt but didn't say anything. He just sat back down in the chair and stayed silent. The rest of the hour was spent in uncomfortable silence or quiet whispers. Sasuke completely ignored any attempt to talk with him. He was feeling cheated out of his time with Neji, and he didn't want to have the others around then. _When did I get so possessive? He's not even awake. And why should I care?_ Nevertheless, he couldn't shake the sullen mood that had overtaken him. Sakura looked around, realizing this was not turning out the way she had hoped.

"Come on, Hinata. We should get you home. Remember, you and Ino and I are going shopping later. You can come too, Tenten."

The weapon shinobi made a face, "No, thank you."

In some form or another, all of them made their way outside, leaving Sasuke alone with the still-sleeping Neji. Sasuke held in his sigh of relief, standing up and pacing.

_What is going on? Why am I all of a sudden drawn to Neji? It's a day off, I could be anywhere. So why is here the only place I feel comfortable?_

"Sas…uke?"

The Uchiha's dark eyes snapped open, and he looked over at the bed, "You're awake."

Neji nodded, still exhausted. His white eyes were heavy-lidded and almost fluttering. Sasuke laid his hand on Neji's forehead and then dropped it to the covers. _His fever's broken_.

"Why…are you here?" Neji asked, tiredly.

"Visiting."

"Arigato, Sasuke-kun," said the Hyuuga, and his eyes closed in sleep again.

Sasuke was about to stand up to get the nurse, when he realized Neji's hand had come out of the covers and grasped his own. His other hand lifted hesitantly and covered both.

"Sleep well, Neji-kun."


	4. Noon Sun

**Hey, everyone. Chapter 4 is here…and it will be interesting. **

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine in any way, shape, or form …damn it.

Note: Yaoi-yes, OOC-no, AU-no, unless you think that Neji being gay is an alternate universe…which I don't.

And a now word for my reviewers:

Sherlockian Slytherin: Yeah, I hate those Sasukes. Neji is with Team 10, because I need him to be for the upcoming plot. I probably should have explained that Chouji is no longer on Team 10 and now Neji is, but I didn't. Meh.

sylver rain: Oh, have no fear. Neji still has a bit of convincing to do before Sasuke comes around. It will go on longer…have no fear.

All you other awesome reviewers: Glad you guys liked the chapter. See if this one holds the line…

* * *

**Chapter 4- "Noon Sun"**

"Ai-yah!"

Sasuke let the kunai fly, watching calmly as it sliced the string holding Naruto's bell to his belt.

"Sasuke, you idiot! You ripped my shirt!" Naruto yelled at him from across the practice yard.

Sasuke let a smirk creep onto his face, "It's not my fault you suck at shinobi tag."

Kakashi chuckled from his perch high on a tree branch. He was reading _Icha Icha Paradise_ but listening to the game played below. Shinobi tag was an entertaining way to hone the skill of stealing something from another shinobi. Sasuke had set his sights on Naruto early on, as always. Consequently, Naruto retaliated by stealing Sasuke's shuriken from its holder. Sakura finally just sat down next to her sensei and watched the two rivals hunt each other in an attempt to recover stolen articles.

She sighed, "Sometimes I think I'd like a team that is composed of _three_ people."

Kakashi turned to look at her, "You feel left out?"

She shrugged, "Not out of the team, no. But in training, they always target each other. I guess I'm not that much of a challenge for either."

Kakashi's hand was trapped between Sakura's first and middle finger behind her back.

"But that doesn't mean you can steal _my_ bell without me noticing," she glared at him. "You should be ashamed of yourself, taking advantage of a girl's emoting."

Kakashi chuckled again, "See, Sakura? I'd say watch out to either of them who wanted to come after you."

She smiled happily, "Well then…maybe I'll just drop in and see what kind of damage I can do."

As Sasuke avoided Naruto's shadow clones, Sakura dropped to the ground, scooping up Naruto's fallen bell.

"Thanks for getting it for me, Sasuke-kun!" she called, vaulting back into the treetops.

Sasuke's eye twitched. Blowing the last shadow clone away with a TaiJutsu, he leapt after the pink-haired kunoichi to find himself tackled by an orange blur.

"HAHAHA! GOT YOU, SASUKE-TEME!" shouted Naruto happily as he snatched Sasuke's bell from his belt.

Sasuke rolled back to the ground, "**Katon: Karyuu Endan**!"

His Fire Dragon Blast roared towards the blonde-haired shinobi, who yelped and dodged away. Sasuke leapt in synchronization with him, catching hold of the bell still in his hand and slinging the Kyuubi-holder off. Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Alright, you two. Training's over now. You can go home."

Naruto, whose hands were about to perform the seals for **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**, sighed unhappily, "Hmph. You two pick on me, and you know it too."

Sasuke flipped the bell casually in his hand, "Of course we do, dobe."

Naruto made a face at him, "Yeah, don't be so flippant, Uchiha-san. Cause _I_ know where you're going right now…and it isn't home!"

Sasuke turned away disinterestedly. Pulling on his jacket with the Uchiha symbol on the back, he started walking back to the village. Sakura appeared next to him.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun…are you alright?"

"Hn."

"You're not being very communicative, you know?" she complained.

"Hn."

"Where are you going now? Naruto was blabbing about some secret meeting."

Sasuke just kept walking down to the village. Sakura stopped in frustration. He'd been getting more and more difficult since Neji was hurt. After since that fiasco in the hospital, he'd treated her with more indifference. She was no longer the lovestruck genin, but she had liked it when Sasuke had actually talked to her like a person. Naruto popped up beside her.

"Hey, Sakura-chaaaaaaan, wanna go get some ramen?"

"Naruto, has Sasuke seemed…different to you?" she asked.

He scratched his head, "Eh…well, I think Neji getting out of the hospital today has kinda preoccupied him. He's been weird ever since Neji got hurt."

* * *

Sasuke shoved open the hospital doors and started to head towards Neji's room.

"Sasuke, would you mind taking these to Neji on your way? They're his fresh clothes," the nurse at the desk in front asked.

Sasuke grunted and took the clothes from her. As he entered the boy's room, the Hyuuga turned his head.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun. What are you doing here?"

"The nurse told me to bring you your clothes," Sasuke said, throwing the bundle on the bed.

"So you came all the way to the hospital to give me my clothes?" Neji asked with his annoying half-smile.

Sasuke stayed expressionless, "Put them on. They want you out of here in an hour."

Neji sighed dramatically, "Very well. Once you get well, there's no sympathy."

He pushed the covers back and lifted himself to a sitting position. Stepping out of bed, he grabbed the bundle, unrolling the white tunic and pants. Sasuke's throat tightened a bit. The Hyuuga had his back to Sasuke, pulling on the white pants over the white boxers that were his only other clothing. With the light through the window framing him, Neji looked…Sasuke shook his head a bit, _What am I thinking?_ He turned his head so he was looking at the medical chart up on the wall. As much as he wanted to stay looking at the chart, his eyes shifted a bit until he could see the tan-skinned shinobi pulling his tunic on. As the Hyuuga turned, Sasuke looked back…to see Neji's Byakugan activated. He briefly wondered why he hadn't felt the chakra being used.

"What?" Neji asked, that same half-smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Sasuke looked indifferent, "What?"

"You were staring at me," it wasn't a question.

Sasuke returned a blank stare.

"And you still are," Neji said, his Byakugan looking smug.

Sasuke just stood there. _Damn his advanced bloodline. He can read my eyes._

Neji chuckled under breath, "I don't mind. I've been waiting for a week for that stare."

Sasuke growled beneath his breath, "You truly are annoying."

Neji's Byakugan faded to his normal, white eyes, "That's why you like me."

Sasuke turned and opened the door, "I don't like you. Now, move. And stop smiling at me."

Neji's smile disappeared, but still twitched at the corner of his mouth. As the two shinobi walked through the corridors, a silence fell over them. Sasuke felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, uneasy with those damned butterflies in his stomach again. Neji, on the other hand, looked cool and collected as he usually did, impervious to any discomfort the silence generated. The hospital staff gave Neji smiles and wishes for good luck and happiness. The nurses that had seen Sasuke visiting wished him the same. Sasuke just nodded to every comment. He was too busy trying to figure out why he came here to see Neji and then felt uncomfortable around him.

As they exited the hospital, Sasuke cleared his throat, "I said it before, but you were unconscious."

Neji looked over, looking innocent, "What?"

Sasuke turned his head away, "Thank you…for that mission."

Neji leaned closer, still smooth as ice, "What?"

Sasuke glared at him, "I said thank you."

The Uchiha turned his head away again. _Damn him…what is going on?_ He felt something touch his hand. Neji had snuck his own hand into it.

"You're welcome," said the Hyuuga. "And thank you for coming to visit me."

Sasuke removed his hand from Neji's, although it was hard to do it vehemently when he was being thanked. It came out more like a removal from discomfort, not one of anger.

"Get off me, Hyuuga," Sasuke growled, trying to regain his control.

"Sure, Sasu-chan," Neji said.

Sasuke turned and glared at the white-eyed boy. His voice when he used that pet name was…_attractive, damn it. He's got to stop messing with my mind like that._

"Stop calling me that, you bastard," Sasuke hissed at him.

That infuriating smile returned to Neji's lips, "So you still like it too much to handle it? Fine, I'll stop until you get more comfortable."

Sasuke growled again. _It's so damn hard to yell at him when he's being so damn accommodating._ They walked on in silence a little more. They had taken a shortcut to Neji's house and found themselves in a deserted alley.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Sasuke demanded suddenly, stopping in his tracks.

The Hyuuga stopped as well and faced him, "You don't know?"

Sasuke shook his head fractionally. Neji's smile grew a little more intense. Before Sasuke could react, Neji stepped in, placing both his arms around Sasuke's waist. His mouth came faster than Sasuke anticipated…and caught him. Sasuke growled against the heat of Neji's breath on his lips. Breaking the Hyuuga's hold, he punched him in the stomach.

"Damn it, just stop."

Neji straightened himself, shrugging off the attack, "I can't help it."

The seriousness of his tone caught Sasuke by surprise. There was no more flirting, no more sultry shimmer, no more teasing.

"What?" was all that came out.

"I can't help it. I think…I'm in love with you."

Sasuke shook his head, "Well, get over it. I'm going home."

As he turned around and walked away, he willed himself not to turn around again. _Bastard. Damn him. Why did it have to feel like that?_ His mind remembered the feel of Neji's arms around him, the feel of his lips, and the smell of him as well. The kiss had been like an explosion of light in his head, brighter than the noon sun. He growled again. Neji was not going to do this to him, damn it. He wasn't.

* * *

**Wow, little longer than expected. Neji's escalating things just a bit, but Sasuke isn't budging. I wonder if the next chapter will mix it up a little…Yes, I am officially evil.**


	5. Afternoon Chill

**Thanks for all your support, guys! I'm really sorry it's been forever since I've updated, but this week was really hectic. Hope this extra-long chapter makes up for it!**

**I'm trying not to rush the story, but when I get an idea, it's all I can do not to get things moving faster. So…Chapter 5 is here.**

Disclaimer: Nope, I am not Masashi Kishimoto…so I don't own Naruto.

Notice: Yaoi, non-OOC, non-AU…if I think of anything else, I'll add it.

Bekkablair: I think "apogee" means (generally) the height of something…I think the word that specifically refers to the sun is zenith. Of course, I could be mistaken about that.

Sherlockian Slytherin: Thanks! I figured there's so many variations on tag…why not make one more?

Midnight-Sunset: catches Neji plushie Yay, my own Neji plushie…

Yuki-chan2: Wow, I should written this sooner…I'm almost a deity! Yeah, Neji is uber-sexy. Damn, that boy is hot. I'm glad you think the chars in IC.

**Ahem, anyway…chapter 5…

* * *

**

**Chapter 5- "Afternoon Chill"**

Sasuke rolled over in bed. From the position of the moon and the color of the sky, it was just before daybreak. He rolled onto his back, looking up at the roof with dark eyes. He closed his eyes forcefully, as if to demand they sleep. They rebelled, just as they had done all night. Growling out his frustration, Sasuke sat up, swinging his legs out from under the thin sheet. He ran one hand through his slightly flattened hair and stood up. Lightly treading through the large deserted house, he descended the stairs to the first floor. Sliding the door open, he stepped into his shoes, heading for the well in the courtyard. Drawing up a bucket, he dipped a small cup in and drank. Wiping his mouth, he lowered the bucket back down and re-entered the house. Opening the door to his closet, he knelt and lifted his customary black shirt out of its drawer. Slipping it on, he exchanged his sleeping pants for the training ones he usually wore. Buckling his shuriken holder and kunai holder to his leg, he headed east towards the training ground. _If I can't sleep, I might as well train_.

As he walked, the brisk morning air swirled around him, cooling his rather feverish thoughts. _Sleeping seems impossible when…I can't understand him…what is he thinking?_ Sasuke rolled the questions around in his mind several times. _I don't understand why this doesn't bother me. I don't like Neji…not that way, but I don't feel…wrong about it. It seems like just another unwanted interest. Maybe even a little more…_ He shook himself firmly. He was not going to go down that route. Pushing his hair out of his face, he continued towards the training center. Avoiding the treacherous ground which rain had worsened, he kept his eyes focused on the ground. The light was growing stronger by the minute, warning of an imminent sunrise on the horizon in front of him. Suddenly, Hinata appeared in front of him.

"Oh…" she jumped a little when she saw him. "O-ohayo, Sasuke-kun. I-I was j-just leaving."

She scurried off as he watched her with a tilted eyebrow. He balanced himself as he stepped onto the training grounds, looking up at a movement at the corner of his eye. _That…he followed me._

Neji was standing with his back to Sasuke, waiting in the Jyuken stance to attack the training pole. He shifted a bit, then rotated in that graceful Hyuuga style to strike (or press) his hand against the cloth-wrapped target. _No, he had to have been here before, _Sasuke told himself. As he watched, the Hyuuga seemed to freeze in mid-action. Sasuke watched him turn slowly, noticing the white-eyed Byakugan active in the other boy's eyes. _He saw me_. Moments passed, as the two shinobi just stood there. Neji's face was blank, the Byakugan dying away, but Sasuke felt something different in his stare. Neji was…in pain. The Hyuuga just stood there, arms hanging limp at his sides. Sasuke folded his own, trying to look in control of himself.

It was at this unfortunate moment the sun decided to rise. Practically leaping above the horizon, the sun cast its pale glow over everything in Konohagakure—including one white-eyed boy standing against the rising sun. Sasuke's throat tightened involuntarily, _What the…he's beautiful._ Sasuke felt the force in his crossed arms evaporate, and he struggled to keep his legs from shaking too. Neji's face still communicated nothing, and the two just stood there as Sasuke struggled to control his mind and as Neji knew nothing about it. As the moment faded, Sasuke managed to restrain his emotions, locking everything away so his face hardened into disapproval again. It was Neji who finally broke the silence.

"I didn't know you were coming," he said, voice steady but quiet.

"Well…I'm here."

Neji nodded, "Then I'll go."

For some reason, Sasuke felt like stopping him. _But why? I hate him…he kissed me, damnit. He's making my life miserable._ He resolutely set his jaw; if the Hyuuga wanted to leave, he could. As Neji turned away, both shinobi caught the unmistakable feel of chakra being released and the unmistakable sound of Kakashi appearing in his unmistakable way.

"Am I interrupting?" the silver-haired jounin asked.

"No," Sasuke answered a little too quickly.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow, "The Hokage wants you in her office immediately, Sasuke."

The Uchiha nodded and turned towards the center of town.

"You too, Neji," the jounin added.

Sasuke's neck stiffened, and he turned to look at Kakashi, "Why?"

"She asked for him."

Sasuke left the answer as it was, knowing he would not get any more from the jounin. Neji turned towards the Hokage's quarters as well, and the three shinobi walked in silence. Sasuke was doing his best to avoid looking at the Hyuuga next to him. He could feel the cold radiating from the other boy, and he knew he was the cause of it. Neji was not one to bare his feelings lightly or even to possess light feelings. Sasuke had hit him when he was most vulnerable. The Hyuuga was not going to let it happen again. Upon arriving at the Hokage's office, Kakashi led them past the two guards into the study.

Sasuke almost felt a sigh of relief when he saw Naruto and Sakura waiting there already. _At least it's not about Neji and me,_ he assured himself.

"Ohayo, Sasuke, Neji," Tsunade said as they entered. "We have a mission for you."

"All four of us!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No. Neji, you will take Sakura's place on this mission. Sakura will be transferring to Team 10 for their assignment."

Naruto pouted, "But, Tsunade-baa-chan, Sakura's our teammate."

"This particular mission requires you three specifically. Sakura was acquainted with this before deciding to transfer to Team 10."

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, Naruto. Once I heard the mission, I was fine with switching places. Besides, I'll be on Ino and Shikamaru's team. That's not exactly a demotion."

Sasuke was feeling cold. _A mission with Neji? Now? The Hokage has wonderful timing_.

The Hokage continued, "You will be going as a widowed father with three sons. You're all relatively separated in terms of age, so it should be easy to carry the disguise off. You will be traveling to Hidden Mist. There is a Hidden Leaf missing nin there. He's ex-Anbu."

"Ex-Anbu?" Naruto stuttered.

"Hai. That's why I want you three on this. Kakashi is going to observe. The missing nin's apprehension is your responsibility."

"Why don't you send Anbu hunter nin after him?" Neji asked, voice calm.

"He knows Anbu tactics by heart. He was one of the good ones. You three together should be able to defeat him."

Sasuke nodded, "When do we leave?"

Tsunade smiled, "Now."

* * *

Naruto grumbled all the way to Hidden Mist, "She didn't give us much warning. I didn't even have time to eat some ramen before leaving." 

Sasuke and Neji were silent, but Naruto barely noticed. Those two were always quiet. He didn't even notice that the two prodigies were staying as far from each other as possible.

* * *

Their arrival in Hidden Mist was less than spectacular. After passing through the gates, with virtually no questioning, Kakashi led them towards the southern end of town. As Sasuke walked, he noticed the buildings growing shabbier and shabbier. 

"Well," grumbled Naruto. "I guess Tsunade didn't want us being too extravagant."

Kakashi peered over his shoulder, "It's better if we stay here."

Naruto examined the buildings they passed critically, "Can we even fit inside one of these?"

"We'll be sharing rooms," Kakashi answered, nonchalantly.

"WHAT! I'M NOT SHARING A ROOM WITH SASUKE!" yelled Naruto in his most outraged voice.

"You're not."

Naruto let a sigh of relief.

"You're rooming with me."

Naruto's eyes bugged, "I'M ROOMING WITH THE PERVERT JOUNIN!"

Sasuke's eyebrow lifted. If Kakashi and Naruto were rooming together, that left…he avoided looking at the white-eyed Hyuuga on his right. He didn't like being paired with the other boy, but if he protested he'd be stuck with Kakashi. Rooming with a boy who had a crush on you was far better than that.

Kakashi dispassionately at the jumping Naruto, "Calm down. It's late now, so we will go to bed and begin tracking down our friend in the morning."

Sasuke grunted and pushed open the door. The house was remarkably clean for its apparent state of abandonment. After Kakashi told him that he and Neji would be sleeping upstairs, he walked up the wooden stairs to the room. Two cots were pushed up against opposite walls. _At least that's something_. The floor creaked behind him, and Neji entered, taking stock of the room with his pale eyes. Sasuke threw his bag onto the bed on the right wall. Neji's expression didn't change as he placed his things on the left bed. Sasuke rolled over a thought in his mind, _Should I give Neji an ultimatum, "Touch me and die"?_

Neji turned over his shoulder, "You don't have to worry. I don't bite."

Sasuke growled under his breath. The boy's ability to predict his thoughts was annoying at best. Without a word, he stalked out, slamming the door behind him and raising a layer of dust.

After dinner (which consisted of chicken, rice, and over ten pounds of ramen Naruto insisted they eat), Kakashi instructed them to go to bed.

"We'll be getting an early start tomorrow. You need your rest."

As they turned to leave, Kakashi said, "Sasuke, stay."

The Uchiha sat back down as Naruto and Neji both left the room.

Kakashi fixed the boy with his one-eyed stare, "Is there something I need to know about?"

Sasuke looked unemotional.

"You and Neji have both been avoiding each other. Why?"

Sasuke looked unemotional.

"Don't let it interfere with this mission, or you will both be demoted," Kakashi warned.

Sasuke looked…unemotional.

"Now, go to bed."

Sasuke turned and walked upstairs. Kakashi rubbed his temples, wondering why on earth he had been given three impossible charges.

Sasuke entered the room quietly and heard Neji's even breathing. _He must be asleep_. As he turned to unpack his cotton pants and shirt, his eye caught the moon's reflection off Neji's pale skin. The Hyuuga was resting on his pillow, his face framed by the waves of long, black hair that fell over his eyes and forehead. Sasuke paused, before finding himself standing over the sleeping shinobi. Unable to help himself, he reached down and brushed Neji's hair out of his eyes. The boy stirred a bit in sleep but settled down immediately. Sasuke felt his fingers running over Neji's smooth forehead, and his breath started to catch. _Could I…like Neji back?_ Sasuke forced himself to move back to his bed where he lay down. _Of course not. I couldn't like him._

He didn't admit that seeing Neji asleep across the room from him created a comforting feeling in his chest as he drifted off to sleep…

* * *

**Hmm, review and let me know how it was.**


	6. Twilight Falls

**Hey all…hmm, well, I had originally written this to be a 10-chapter story, but now I've decided to seek reviewer input. Do you think I should wrap it up in four more chapters, or should it continue on past 10?**

Notice: blahblahblah**yaoi**blahblahblah…you know by now.

Disclaimer:snort of disgust: which translates to "Naruto would be better is Neji was the object of everyone's affections…including Sasuke's" which further translates to "not mine."

Sherlockian Slytherin: Hmm, "tag" back and forth? In a very twisted, "I-really-need-to-stop-tormenting-the-characters" kind of way.

Kawaii Kitsune-kun: Er…not _quite_ yet. But I guarantee…the sexiness never ends.

Sylver Rain: Neji's in pain because he basically admitted to Sasuke he loved him…and got burned. He's not too happy right now. As for plot, well, plot is a by-product of my overactive (somewhat mischievous) imagination in this fic. This particular plot device occurred because I said, "Hmm, now, it'd be _really_ interesting if they had to share a room right now."

**Bleh, chapter 5 was not one of my favorites…so let's see if Chapter 6 can redeem itself.**

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**Chapter 6- "Twilight Falls"**

The next evening, Sasuke and Neji were laying flat on a roof in the center of Hidden Mist. The two shinobi watched a small house on the corner of a street, one with only one light on in the upper room. The house had been admitting visitors one at a time for the past few hours. Neji and Sasuke had seen all of them.

"Who is in there now?" Sasuke demanded.

Neji's head didn't move, his Byakugan still fastened on the house, "It's Kanawa Yoshitsu...special jounin to the Mizukage."

Sasuke's face turned grim, "If the missing nin is meeting with the Mizukage, he might be seeking asylum in Hidden Mist."

Neji nodded, "Najino Hasabu was one of our best Anbu. He knows he'd be valuable to a rival Hidden Village."

"He can't expect to survive Konoha hunter nin for long."

"He thinks by joining with the Mizukage, he can."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "We mustn't let him then."

Neji turned his head towards Sasuke, "We'll call it a night then. Tomorrow we'll plan our attack strategy."

Sasuke turned towards the Hyuuga to answer and found himself frozen. The moon hung low, as it was nearing daybreak. It rested just above Neji's crown of black hair. With the Byakugan active, Neji's eyes were pulsating with white light. _They look just like twin moons,_ Sasuke thought to himself. With his face framed by the pale moonlight, Neji truly looked beautiful. _Did I just call Neji beautiful?_ Sasuke realized it was the first time he had allowed himself to think that without flinching. _Maybe I'm not as indifferent as I said_.

"Sasuke?" Neji asked, his voice flat.

Sasuke felt a pang of guilt; Neji's voice was always flat with him now.

"Hn. Let's go."

The Hyuuga nodded, letting the Byakugan dissipate. The two shinobi leapt from the rooftops to the darkened streets, heading for their own house in the southwest part of town. As had characterized their interaction since Neji's declaration, they were silent...avoiding all unnecessary conversation. Sasuke maintained his cold, indifferent exterior, trying to at least seem as upset with the other boy as he had been. Neji was just...quiet. Having been rejected so thoroughly, the Hyuuga was not going to be bringing that subject up again. _Not that I want him to_, Sasuke tried to assure himself.Both prodigies walked the dark streets of Hidden Mist, refusing to admit what was really going on in their heads...

* * *

"You both have been gone a really, really long time!" Naruto said, accusingly as they walked into the room. 

"Najino had a lot of visitors tonight," Sasuke told Kakashi, ignoring the blond.

Neji gave Naruto a faint smile, "We had to stay later than expected."

Naruto pouted, "Kakashi-sensei made me wait dinner for you. Come on, I'm starved!"

Neji smiled again, "Very well, Naruto. We'll eat."

Naruto gave a loud cheer (drawing some unpleasant remarks from neighbors) and dragged Neji into the kitchen.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme. Your food's in here too," he called back, dismissing the Uchiha.

Sasuke grunted. He and the blond had worked out their relationship; it was easier just to ignore each other...and in an odd way, it made them friends. As he stepped into the kitchen, he saw Naruto talking excitedly with Neji about some variation of ramen...beef, most likely. The Hyuuga was standing there, half-smiling. Smiling. It was the first time Sasuke had seen him smile since...and he was smiling at Naruto. Sasuke suddenly felt squeezed into clothes much too small for him. He shook his head minutely; he was reading too much into it. It was good for Neji to be regaining his spirits. Right.

Sasuke grabbed his bowl of rice and beef from the counter and began to load the food into his mouth with chopsticks. He tried to ignore Naruto's chatter, but some of it kept bleeding through his barrier.

"You've never had beef ramen?"Naruto gasped, as if Neji has said he was Orochimaru reincarnated.

Neji shook his head, "Iie. Ramen is not served often in the Hyuuga House."

Naruto shook his head violently, "That's just wrong. Here, try this."

Naruto loaded a chunk of beef and ramen noodles on his chopsticks and held them impatiently in front of Neji's mouth. Neji opened his mouth slowly, and Naruto popped his chopsticks in.

"There. Isn't it good?" Naruto beamed.

Neji smiled and swallowed. The blond grinned happily, as though he had just accomplished something great. Naruto used his chopsticks to pick off a bit of noodle hanging from Neji's chin. If either of them had looked, they would have seen two very white Uchiha hands gripping chopsticks.

* * *

Morning came sooner than any shinobi wanted. Sasuke growled in protest against the harsh daylight that burst through the window. Rolling over to avoid the spears assailing his tightly shut eyelids, he was not prepared for the blond whirlwind that flew through the door. 

"RISE AND SHINE, NEJI-KUN!" Naruto thundered, practically lifting the roof off. "Oh, you too, Sasuke-teme."

Sasuke peered out from under slitted eyes, "What time is it, dobe?"

"Hmph, I'm not telling you. Kakashi-sensei says to get up, so move," the blond said, crouching on the floor.

Before Sasuke had a chance to demand what in Konoha he was doing, the blond shifted his weight and catapulted onto Neji's bed, "Gotcha, Neji-kun!"

The still form in bed simply squished under Naruto's weight. Sasuke turned his face back to the wall.

"Che?"

Sasuke heard the door creak, suggesting Neji had entered, "I'm already up, Naruto."

"Aw, damn. I wanted to pounce on you," the blond pouted.

There was a bit of silence, then a rustling sound: Neji must have ruffled Naruto's hair. Naruto suddenly whistled.

"Damn, Neji. I thought Jyuken didn't require muscles."

With that statement, Sasuke's eyes flew wide open. Rolling back over, he had cause to choke. Neji was standing in the room, with a towel wrapped around his waist. The Hyuuga waist-length black hair was still dripping wet from the shower, plastering itself over his tanned skin. The boy's highly-defined muscles just rippled as he laughed briefly at Naruto's comment. Sasuke's face went red, and he struggled to keep from looking like he was looking. _Damn. He is gorgeous_.

"Everything about Jyuken requires muscles, Naruto."

Naruto whistled again, "You look strong enough to use Tekken. Why don't you?"

Neji shrugged slightly, "I prefer Jyuken. I'm Hyuuga."

Sasuke sat up, desperately trying to regain control of the hot feeling in his chest, "I'm going to shower."

"Yeah, but I beat you, remember?" Naruto answered Neji, ignoring Sasuke.

Both shinobi just ignored him as they walked down the front stairs towards the kitchen, most likely for breakfast. Sasuke shrugged, _Good, now maybe they'll both leave me alone_. Oddly enough, the prospect of that was enough to remove the warm feeling.The cool it left behind was not comfortable at all.

"Was that Kanawa who just went back in?" Naruto whispered to Neji.

The Hyuuga nodded, "That's the second time this morning."

Sasuke muttered, "He must be the courier."

Naruto shrugged, "So let's knock him off and take Najino in."

Neji grabbed the blond's arm as he stood, "I'd prefer not to take on a Leaf missing nin while there is a Mist special jounin with him."

Naruto snorted, "Come on, what kinds of prodigies are you two?"

Sasuke grunted, "Smart ones, dobe."

Naruto glared at Sasuke, "Fine. You can be just be by yourself. Neji and I will take them. Right, Neji-kun?"

Neji lifted an eyebrow, "Iie, Naruto. It's too soon. It would be best if the Mist did not know hunter nin had gotten Najino."

"Why?"

"Because then they know that we know that they know Najino, dobe," Sasuke said.

Naruto scratched his head, "Wait...they know that we...aw, damn it, let's just attack them!"

Neji shook his head in amusement in unision with Sasuke, who stopped as soon as he realized it. _Neji and I are alike in many ways._

"Not yet, Naruto. Soon though," Neji assured him.

Naruto pouted, "Fine. As long as we get to fight him sometime."

Sasuke motioned to the door, "He's leaving again."

Neji looked down, "I'll follow him. We should find out whether he's really doing this for the Mizukage."

Sasuke shook his head, "No, I'll go. You stay and watch Najino's house."

Naruto jumped up, "I'll stay here with Neji-kun."

Sasuke shrugged, "Fine."

Sasuke leapt softly to the ground, moving slowly through the winding streets of Hidden Mist. He was barely able to keep Kanawa in his sight, as the more advanced shinobi used loops and backtracks to evade followiers. Sasuke lost and picked him up again over a half dozen times. When the special jounin finally stopped, it was indeed at the Mizukage's tower. As Sasuke turned to leave, something else caught his eye. _What in..._ As he crept closer, he clearly saw the engraved headband stuffed in one shinobi's pocket. _Hidden Grass as well? What is going on here?_ Creeping away softly, he made his way back to the house.

* * *

Upon entering the house, he was suddenly struck by the utter silence. Feeling a bit of unease over the unusual quiet, he drew his kunai and crept through the rooms. The kitchen was empty, except for a few instant ramen cartons Naruto had had for a snack. The dusty, moldering living room was still dusty and moldering, meaning no one had been in since the morning. Climbing upstairs, Sasuke poked his head in Kakashi and Naruto's room. Nothing, except for the corner of an _Icha Icha Paradise_ book peeking out from under Kakashi's pillow. Nothing on Naruto's bed either, and nothing messier than usual to suggest a struggle or anything. Sasuke entered his own room, checking the location of his things. All were in place; nothing was disturbed. It was then he heard a noise from the small yard in back of the house. Looking out the window in his room, he saw Neji and Naruto talking quietly, sitting on the wooden garden borders. They looked quite serious. Neji had his back to Sasuke, but the Uchiha could see Naruto looking down, seemingly at the ground. _What is going on?_

He sheathed his kunai and walked down the stairs, intending to step out back and tell them both about the Hidden Grass nin he had seen. But as he stuck his head out of the door, he was surprised to hear the low monotone conversation.

"...it's true, Naruto," Neji was saying soberly.

Naruto looked up, as if he was unsure of something, "Really? You really mean it?"

Neji nodded. Then, to Sasuke's shock, Naruto bounded up, tackling Neji to the ground. The unbridled joy on his face was unmistakeable. The two shinobi rolled across the yard, mainly from Naruto's enthusiam. When they stopped, Neji was on top, grinning down at the boy underneath him. Sasuke's throat closed. He couldn't breathe. It was as if he had been wearing a blind across his eyes that was now ripped away. _Neji...and Naruto. I told him to get over me, so he has, _he told himself. _But I don't feel glad. I feel...angry and cheated and empty._ Sasuke shook his head, firmly in denial. _I do not love Neji. I am not jealous, and I do not mind that he and Naruto are...I can't even say it._

Angry with this twist of fate, Sasuke closed the door without saying anything to the two shinobi in the yard.

* * *

Sasuke was up in bed and had been since before dinner. He hadn't wanted to eat, and he wasn't willing to admit why. He was sitting on his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest. _I'm love with Neji._ The revelation had come forward unbidden. He cleared his throat. 

"I'm in love with Neji," he whispered to the darkness.

He lay back on his bed, _I can't believe how stupid I was. I couldn't admit it to myself...and now it's too late. I've lost the one I love. The only one I could love. He and I are so similar...the same in so many ways. He's like the light side of the moon, mysterious but warm and compassionate. I'm like the dark side, so wrapped up in myself I can barely see what is real._ Sasuke pulled his knees up again and slipped under the covers. Curled into a ball, he told himself firmly he would not cry. _I will not cry. I love him so much...I will not cry._

"Sleep well, Neji-kun," came Naruto's whisper from the hall.

"Good night, Naruto-kun," answered Neji's soft voice.

Sasuke turned his face to the wall, _I'll only cry once...

* * *

_

**Now, remember people...the summary says SasuNeji. Just remember that.**

**Review, people...tell me whether this makes up for chapter 5 and whether I should try to write past ten chapters!**


	7. Fading Light

**Wow, I seemed to have hit a nerve when I :hinted: at NejiNaru…just remember, people…the summary says NejiSasu…now take deep breaths. Sidenote: over 30 reviews! Yay!**

**Kawai Kitsune-kun**: :emailed:  
**Midnight-Sunset**: Don't worry…all will be well.  
**Sherlockian Slytherin**: Okay, I just figured out your name. :duh: Anyway, if Naruto got a boyfriend, I think he'd probably start calling him "–kun". :dodges multitude of sharp, pointy objects: I said "IF"!  
**Yugi-obsessed**: New reviewer! Thank you :D  
**Ramen-Ou**: Thanks! Yes, I must have angst…I don't write _all_ fluff. :koff:  
**Prosopopeia**: Another new reviewer! Thanks for the long review…they're so much fun to read. I also enjoy tormenting my favorite characters. As payment, they get to live happily ever after…most of the time.  
**Leon2772**: Yeah, well, Sasuke is falling in love with Neji. It kinda _has_ to be a little unnatural. But thanks for the support! Oh, and Gaara-kun (in the manga) is way uncool. I like the fanfics about Gaara much more than the manga. :grin:  
**Lala to the power of 2**: Gomen ne! I'm glad you're enjoying it enough to demand updates. But it's only been five days since my last update…and a week before. Ok, so maybe I have been slower. :embarrassed grin:  
**Sodesne**: Ah, Uchiha reviewers! Now, I'd better watch it…

Neji: Don't worry, I'll protect you.  
Me:ducks behind Neji-kun: Yay for Neji-kun.

**Frontier of Darkness**: Don't worry…even if this one ends, I have plenty more NejiSasu up my sleeves. AU NejiSasu, tragic NejiSasu (sniff), and potentially humorous NejiSasu. It's all inside…  
**YoungSasuke**: Yes, poor Sasuke. Heheheh, I love good old-fashioned jealousy.

**Alright, back to the fic…I must remember not to rush myself. It just all goes south when I do. Warning: Mega-chapter Alert.

* * *

**

**Chapter 7- "Fading Light"**

The sun performed its painful awakening ceremony as it did everyday. First came the unpleasant color change, then the sharpening spears when Sasuke either had to squeeze his eyes tighter (and thus awaken himself more) or simply let it hurt, also awakening him more. _You can't win against the sun_, he though darkly. _Like you can't win against love._ His eyes opened slowly, and he stared blankly at the dark wall he faced. Feeling like he wanted to lie there forever, he nonetheless pushed himself up forcefully. _I survived my family's massacre at the hands of my brother. I will survive this_. A passing thought struck him as he thought this: _It's easier to deal with hate than with love._ Swinging his legs out from the bed, his feet touched down on the cold floor sending a shiver up his spine. He tried to avoid looking at the other bed, but not looking at something in a very small room never works. His eyes ghosted over Neji's still form in the next bed. The Hyuuga's breaths shifted the covers slightly, up and down. Sasuke's throat closed again. He had allowed tears for just a moment and then sealed them away. His face showed no expression of his pain; inside, he was cold. He heard a small noise outside the door. Breaking the hypnotic spell of watching Neji, he pushed the door open.

Naruto jumped as the Uchiha came walking steadily out of the room, as the blond was about to bound in.

"Oi, Sasuke. Is Neji up?"

Sasuke shook his head fractionally and closed the door to the bathroom. He put his clothes down on the ground and listened for a minute. He heard a loud thump and Naruto's victorious exultation followed by a yelp of fear. Neji's soft laughter carried through the door to Sasuke's ears. Then…silence. The dark-haired boy turned away resolutely and started preparing for the day.

* * *

Over breakfast, the three Konoha shinobi discussed their attack plans, with Kakashi making advisory comments when necessary. 

"I say we wait until he goes to sleep tonight, then BAM!" Naruto said, slamming the table for emphasis.

Neji picked up his bowl to prevent its breakage, "No, he won't expect us in the daylight."

Sasuke nodded, as he swallowed his egg, "If we go in the daytime, we'll have to make sure he's alone."

"Why!" Naruto demanded. "We can take him and whatever baka is with him."

Sasuke shook his head, not answering the blonde. Neji paused.

"Naruto, Najino's disappearance should appear to be his escape from Hidden Mist, not his death."

"Eh?"

Sasuke looked up, "We don't want them to know we killed him, dobe."

"Eh?"

Sasuke stared fixedly at the confused shinobi, _How could Neji fall in love with him? _He jerked slightly; he had not been planning on thinking that…ever. There were…many good reasons for Neji and Naruto to be together. They were…a good match.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto yelled, waving his hand in front of the Uchiha face.

Sasuke's eyes focused on Naruto's face, "Hn."

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically, "Neji just suggested we spy out his house for a while. When he's alone, two of us go in and one stays outside to prevent anyone else from coming."

Sasuke looked over at the Hyuuga, who was regarding him with that unreadable white stare, "Hn."

Kakashi nodded and stood, "Then it appears you're done. Naruto, put the dishes in the kitchen. Neji and Sasuke, go get your equipment."

The two Konoha prodigies turned almost in unison and walked up the stairs. Sasuke tried to ignore the heavy stare of the Hyuuga behind him. Even before Sasuke had realized his feelings for the slightly older boy, that stare had been uncomfortable. Now, it was practically unbearable. At this moment, Sasuke cursed his pale skin. The faintest touches of red were curving around his ears, feeling like the hot smoke of a smothered fire. Firmly setting his eyes on his shuriken holder and his shinobi belt, the Uchiha bent over to pick them up from their holder at the top of his bed. He heard the faintest rustle of sheets as Neji sat on the other bed. As Sasuke gathered his things, he noticed it was silent on the other side of the room. Shooting a quick glance over his shoulders, he stiffened with he saw Neji looking at him impassively. Not one for dodging away as soon as he was seen, Sasuke met the look and shifted his body around to a more comfortable position. Moments passed. Sasuke was definitely not going to speak first. Neji shifted his weight a little, leaning back into the wall. Sasuke felt his ears start that smoky feeling once again. _Damn you, Neji_. As if reading his thoughts, the Hyuuga smiled that infuriating half-smile he used to do so often. _Damn it, he's enjoying this. He's sick, just sick._ Sasuke leaned back against the wall himself, settling in for a long staring competition. The temperature in the room rose several degrees. The two boys stayed motionless, waiting for the other to crack and say something. The door slammed open and Naruto bolted in.

"What on earth is taking you…both…so…," he trailed off, shifting his head rapidly between the two staring boys.

Naruto gulped a little and backpedaled his way out of the room with its hot and heavy air. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Neji, who smiled that damned half-smile before standing up and leaving the room. Sasuke waited until the Hyuuga was safely out of range before slamming his fist into the floor. _Damn it, how does he always manage to win, even when he leaves first?_ Sasuke growled to himself. Stuffing his shuriken angrily into their holder, he left the room, slamming the door for good measure.

* * *

_This rooftop is starting to become painfully familiar_, Sasuke thought sourly. Yet again he found himself pressed flat to the roof with Naruto squished in between him and Neji. Given Naruto's incessant habit of squirming around like a hooked fish, Sasuke was close to twitching. Sasuke kept his eyes fixed on the house where the missing nin was hiding. Even though Neji was watching with his Byakugan, Sasuke wanted to be sure their quarry would not escape unnoticed. Besides, he had nothing else to do but stare at Neji, and that was most certainly not going to happen. Naruto squirmed for the seven-thousandth time and blew air out of his lips, frustrated. 

"Neji-kun," he whined. "No one's gone in for at least an hour, can't we attack now?"

Neji didn't turn his head, "No, Naruto. Najino has been writing a message to the Mizukage for a little over twenty minutes. We'll wait for him to finish so we get a better look at his plan."

Sasuke felt a strange tingling on the back of his neck. After so many years as a ninja, he had learned not to ignore that tingling.

"Neji, two contacts are heading this way."

Neji nodded, "I see them."

Soon after, two figures appeared in the streets. Dressed in peasant clothes, they looked like simple townspeople out on business. They entered Najino's house.

"They're the Hidden Grass shinobi," Sasuke said emotionlessly.

Neji's jaw tensed just slightly, "We'll have to wait for them to leave."

Naruto blew air out again, "Great. Another hour of waiting."

Suddenly, Neji tensed, "They were talking to Najino, but now one of them just knocked him out."

"A high-level Konoha Anbu?" Naruto demanded.

"I left out the details," Neji commented, shifting back to look at Sasuke.

The Uchiha nodded, "They're coming out now."

The two Grass nin came out carrying a large trunk between them. Neji nodded, to confirm Sasuke's suspicion. The Hidden Grass shinobi moved quickly through the streets, soon reaching the edge of sight.

"We go after them," Sasuke said. "Najino is still missing nin."

Neji nodded, "Let's go."

"YAHOOO!" Naruto yelled, leaping from the rooftop.

Sasuke saw Neji shake his head fractionally (_he's _your_ boyfriend)_ and jump after the blond. Sasuke gathered his chakra, springing after the other two.

* * *

They followed the two Grass nin to the plains surrounding Hidden Mist. The other two had been joined by a third who carried a scroll tucked in his coat pocket. Sasuke had calculated their strengths, and he did not approve of the odds. But when had that ever stopped any of the three shinobi on the team? When the Grass nin were sufficiently out of range of the village, Sasuke signaled to Neji and Naruto. Now swiftly silent, the three shinobi prepared the attack. Sasuke readied a kunai, gathering chakra in his feet for a long jump. 

"Now!"

The Konoha trio burst into action, launching kunai and shuriken at the Grass nin. The other shinobi instantly split, breaking into three separate targets. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he tracked the one still carrying the trunk with Najino in it.

"Sasuke!" Neji called.

The Uchiha instantly dropped to the ground as the seven deadly needles sped overhead. Sasuke flipped himself upward again as he faced the lone visible Grass nin. The other, seeing his opponent was a boy of 17, grinned as he drew a few shuriken. Sasuke smirked.

"You think that's enough?" he asked, drawing several of his own and making a hand seal. "**Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki**."

Sasuke's jutsu replicated the shuriken he threw, shifting them around so they struck from all angles at the Grass nin. The other's eyes widened a bit, and he barely managed to launch himself upward before the shuriken stuck where his body had been. Landing a few feet back, the Grass nin gathered his chakra. Sasuke smiled coldly and activated his Sharingan. In his Sharingan vision, he could see the hand seals the man was making and instantly dodged the **Biransei no Jutsu**While the enemy shinobi tried to reestablish his view of Sasuke, the Uchiha performed a hand seal of his own.

"**Housenka no Jutsu**."

The many fireballs struck around the shinobi, lighting grass which burst into flame then died from the heavy moisture. The Grass nin dodged too slow, and two fireballs struck searing hits on the man's torso. Sasuke let three shuriken fly. The man blocked two, but the third struck him in the arm. Sasuke switched tactics, leaping close before using Rock Lee's signature move, **Konoha Senpuu**. The powerful TaiJutsu struck the man in the chin, rocketing him skyward. Sasuke immediately followed it with **Kage Konoha Buyou** before completing the final move in his **Shishi Rendan**. His trademark TaiJutsu combo slammed the man firmly into the ground, killing him instantly. Sasuke pulled himself upright, scanning for his companions. Feeling flashes of chakra to the northeast, he gathered chakra, springing after them. He arrived in time to see Neji dealing the final blow of his **Hakkeshou** move, **Rokujuu Yonshou**. The Grass shinobi blanched in fear as his chakra was sealed up. Neji dealt a Jyuken death blow immediately to his heart. Neji turned to face Sasuke, though his Byakugan had already identified the presence.

"Naruto?" the Hyuuga asked.

Sasuke shook his head, going to the trunk which Neji's opponent had been guarding. The other two shinobi prepared to attack in case Najino was waiting. Sasuke broke the lock off and snapped it open, leaping back to avoid booby traps.

Silence. Sasuke edged forward, looking in the trunk. It was empty.

"HAHAHA! Betcha thought I was gonna flake?" Naruto laughed from his perch up in a tree. "One tried to get away, but I went after him. He won't be running anymore."

Sasuke looked indifferent to the blond's success. Neji shot the other boy an acknowledging nod, at which Naruto beamed and leapt to the ground. Sasuke ignored them, looking around. Naruto was still laughing.

"HAHAH! Yeah, and I just saw the great Uchiha prodigy running from an empty trunk."

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke growled, more upset than he let on. "This means Najino escaped somehow."

Naruto stopped laughing.

"Hey, wait! Did you just kill him?" Naruto demanded, pointing to the body on the ground.

"Hai."

"Cause he just ran past me when I was kicking the other guy's ass. I thought he'd gotten away from you.

"He used **Henge no Jutsu**," Neji said, turning to Sasuke. "No sooner did one leave and Naruto chased him, than Najino escaped the trunk and took the appearance of the Grass I was fighting. You killed a real one, I killed a real one, Naruto killed a real one, and Najino posed as this one when he tried to escape."

Sasuke growled under his breath, "So where is he?"

Neji activated his Byakugan, "I can see the trail he left but not him. He must be fast."

Sasuke gathered chakra, "We've got to get to him before he escapes."

"What about Kakashi?" Naruto demanded.

"We'll tell him when we get back," Sasuke said and leapt off in the direction Neji indicated.

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically, "Sasuke-teme, I'm not letting you catch him first!"

The blond bound off after the fast-moving Uchiha. Neji let himself smile. Sasuke had looked very hot covered in sweat.

* * *

As night came, the three shinobi found themselves exhausted following the trail of the missing nin. Sasuke, still in the lead, raised his hand, dropping to the forest floor. 

"HA! Tired, Sasuke-teme?" gloated Naruto, trying to conceal his labored breathing.

Neji landed gracefully, "I saw him with the Byakugan a moment ago. He's entered the Hidden Grass village."

"WHAT!" Naruto yelped. "He went to the Hidden Village that tried to kidnap him?"

Sasuke raised his head, "Then they weren't trying to kidnap him. He knew we were there and arranged for transport out."

Neji shook his head, "He couldn't have known we were there. He was trying to escape Hidden Mist."

Naruto grimaced, "So…what now?"

Sasuke stood upright, "We go to Hidden Grass, find an inn, and pursue our search from there."

Neji nodded.

Naruto rolled his eyes and then stopped, "Do you think they have ramen in Hidden Grass?"

* * *

Upon stumbling their way into Hidden Grass, the three Konoha shinobi headed directly for the nearest inn. Naruto held his grumbling stomach as they encountered the innkeeper. Sasuke felt inside his pocket surreptitiously. _Not much money_. Neji caught the movement and spoke smoothly. 

"The three of us would like a room for tonight."

The innkeeper bowed, "For all three? You should each have your own room."

Naruto's lips twitched as he came to stand beside Neji. Sasuke almost choked; he'd seen that look before. It was Naruto's mischievous side coming forth.

"Oh, don't worry about us," Naruto practically purred. "We'll all be fine in one room."

Sasuke's eyes widened noticeably as Naruto put his hand on Neji's shoulder and _leaned_. Naruto shot him an insistent glare, before turning back into an admittedly sexy-looking koi. Sasuke swallowed a bit before giving himself over to the charade. _We're just acting so the innkeeper doesn't ask questions_. Sasuke leaned himself, bringing his shoulder into firm contact with Neji's before tilting his head slightly and folding his arms. With Neji in the middle smirking (_Smirking!_) and Naruto practically posing on one side with Sasuke's bad boy, "don't touch my boyfriend" look burning into the innkeeper from the other side, the three shinobi were led quickly to their room and left.

As the door closed, Naruto leapt onto the single bed and began to laugh uncontrollably, "HAHAH! Did you see his face? It was priceless!"

Sasuke growled, "Don't ever make me do something that humiliating again."

Neji raised an eyebrow, "Why did you go along with it then?"

_Damn it_, "It would have looked fake if you two were hanging off of each other while I was just standing there."

Neji smirked once again. Naruto just chuckled again at his own genius, before rolling over on the bed. Sasuke and Neji exchanged glances. One of them was obviously going to have to share the bed with Naruto.

"Sasuke-teme, don't even think about getting into this bed with me," yelled Naruto.

Sasuke shrugged and started laying his mat on the floor. Immediately he heard Naruto snoring from the bed. Rolling his eyes, he stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

Sasuke turned slightly, "Outside."

Neji stood up and moved closer, "Wait."

Sasuke tried to conceal his inner turmoil as the Hyuuga stepped closer. Neji's pale eyes were fixed on Sasuke, and his mouth was moving slightly, as if trying to keep a smile hidden. Sasuke's heart picked up a faster beat. Closer…closer. Neji's hand raised and brushed through Sasuke's hair smoothly. A leaf fluttered to the ground.

Neji smiled--no, smirked--and turned back to the bed. _Damn it_. Sasuke closed the door behind him to avoid seeing the Hyuuga sleeping with Naruto. _Damn it, damn it, damn it.

* * *

**Okay, there's chapter 7. I opted for a little more action in this one, sorry for those of you who wanted another smooching scene. I tried to stick a bit of romantic heart-pounding at the end, but you have to remember Neji is still "with" Naruto. :dodges thrown objects: STOP ALREADY; I used quotation marks. However, those of you who want to get to the smooching, I'm trying not to rush the relationship. That'll come next chapter, I promise.** _

**Neji: It had better…**

**Yes, well :ahem: review and let me know how you liked it.**


	8. Ray of Hope

**This is the redone Chapter 8. Hopefully it's better. I feel better about this one, and I really hope you guys agree. Note: They are not together yet in this version. I was going to still have the whole be-togetherness, but when I wrote it out, it seemed to go this way by itself. So, I followed my instincts and here it is…**

**On a side note, kawaii kitsune-kun, Prosopopeia, and xxphatxbaybeexx: Thank you guys for your awesome encouragement. You really lifted my spirits and gave me a bit more confidence in my skills. :deep breath: I just need to let the inspiration come. Oh and xxphatxbaybeexx: Don't worry about "making" me do something. I was already contemplating redoing these last two chapters. I just wasn't happy. Your review just gave me the answer I was looking for. Thanks!**

**Reviewer answers from Chapter Seven:**

**Kawai Kitsune-kun**: Hahaha, you're now my most constant first reviewer. And this chapter now doesn't have smooching...but one very soon will. Without rushing of course. :wince:  
**Rebel-blah-blah-blah, Yugi-obsessed, Buried Fire: **Thanks for your compliments, guys! It's a great encouragement.  
**Ithiely-chan**: Sasuke is so going to survive…he definitely gets the good stuff in the end. :koffNejikoff:  
**Sodesne: **Hahaha, I was just kidding. Having Uchiha reviewers as partners can't be easy :Sasuke glares:  
**Sherlockian Slytherin**: Thank you! It's good to know I'm improving.  
**Prosopopeia:** :rofl: I don't usually tell this story from Neji's POV, but that was just too priceless a line to forego. It hints at good stuff to come…  
**Xxphatxbaybeexx: **I'm glad you're enjoying it!  
**Shikani**: Yes, I'm evil and I know it. :grin: Here's an update…but swirly eyes don't work on me…eh, what?  
**YoungSasuke**: Good! And I will be updating soon…like now.  
**Ramen-Ou: **Haha, yeah, that's why I love him.

**:deep breath:prays: _Please_ be better.

* * *

****Chapter 8- "Ray of Hope"**

Sasuke was up before dawn, out in the small garden behind the inn. He hadn't slept well. Every time he had neared sleep, some minor thought would awaken him. Of course, minor in this case was defined as a handsome seventeen-year-old, whom Sasuke was crushing on, appearing at random intervals in his mind. Finally, after hours of trying to ignore the one thing that cannot be ignored, Sasuke rolled himself out of the sheets and went outside. The air was damp and just slightly cool. Ignoring the dew still clinging to the grass, Sasuke sat down looking across the serene garden. As befitted the Hidden Grass village, the fauna was lush and vibrant, from thick grass to arcing flowers to majestic cherry trees. The small brook that bisected the garden bubbled and gurgled its way along, blissfully unaware of the mental torment the human sitting next to it was experiencing.

_I should win a prize for most screwed up life. Not only am I the last surviving member of a proud and ancient house, but my family was killed by my eldest brother. I carry an advanced bloodline which makes me the target of every insane criminal ever born, and I am the romantic target of every girl (and a few boys) who crosses my path. As if I didn't have enough to deal with, I am now gay and threw away the love of the boy whom I am now in love with and who is now dating my teammate. My life sucks._

"Ohayo, Sasuke."

Sasuke's entire body tensed, _Did I mention how much my life sucks?_ "Ohayo, Neji."

The pale-eyed Hyuuga just stood in the doorway, looking at the Uchiha who would not look at him. Sasuke kept his gaze fixed on the shifting branches of the cherry trees. Now was not a good time for Neji to see him. The grass rustled a bit, betraying Neji's near-silent approach. Sasuke stayed still, barely acknowledging the other boy's presence. Neji seated himself at Sasuke's side. A slight breeze ruffled Sasuke's hair, carrying with it Neji's scent: it was a heady scent like the intoxicating fragrance of a moonflower. Sasuke took a deep breath and had to stifle a tremor that coursed through his spine. Neji smelled far too good for any peace of mind to be maintained.

"I preferred it when you were mad at me," Neji said, suddenly breaking the silence.

"I did too," Sasuke said without thinking.

"Then why aren't you mad again?" Neji asked, an odd tone in his voice.

Sasuke curtailed the sharp pain that had somehow gotten into his chest, "Go away."

Neji shifted and leaned back against the building, "Do you hate me this much?"

The flat way in which he said it made Sasuke's throat close. _No!_ he wanted to scream. _I'm like this because I love you! _He wanted nothing more than to turn the boy beside him and throw himself on top of him; he wanted to kiss his lips and run his fingers through his hair. He wanted to whisper, "I love you," but what came out was…

Nothing.

The Hyuuga nodded and pulled himself upright, "Then there is nothing more to be said…ever."

Sasuke looked off into the trees until he heard the door slide shut. He was once again alone in the garden. _Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!_ He started to breathe hard from his internal screams. _Why? Why the HELL can't I say something?_ He shook his head briefly before resting it on his knees. He knew exactly why he couldn't: Naruto. _I know the dobe's never had much love, and I will not be the one to take away his._ Sasuke kept his head buried in his arms until he had conquered the pain.

* * *

A little over an hour later, Sasuke re-entered the inn, fully in control of his emotions. _Right. _He stomped upstairs and pushed the door to their room open. 

"Oi, dobe. Where's Neji?"

Naruto laid his head back on the pillow, "He went somewhere."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the ridiculous bear cap the blond was wearing, "Where?"

"How should I know? I haven't seen him since he woke up."

Sasuke crushed the surge of emotion. _I will get over this_. He turned to leave, shutting the door behind him. Locating the innkeeper, he ordered some breakfast and sat at a table in the main room, eating slowly. Soon, Naruto tramped down the stairs, making a _ba-boom _sound on each step.

"Ohayo," he greeted Sasuke, leaning over and brushing his lips across his cheek.

Sasuke started, "What the hell?"

Naruto glared at him from under long lashes, "We're _supposed_ to be lovers, teme."

Sasuke glared back, "Usuratonkachi."

Naruto rolled his eyes and scooted in beside the Uchiha, grabbing chopsticks and eating from the bowl of rice. Sasuke felt more than saw Neji enter the room. He kept his gaze light as he looked up and saw the Hyuuga step through the door. Naruto saw him and waved vigorously. Neji raised a hand slightly and moved towards them. Leaning over Naruto, he kissed the top of his head affectionately. Naruto grinned and pulled a chair out for Neji, shooting a look at Sasuke which declared, _This is how you act, teme._ Sasuke forced himself to listen as Neji spoke quietly.

"Najino went to the Kage of this Village immediately. They gave him an apartment for the night. We simply need to find the apartment and make him vanish."

Naruto scratched his head, "But he could be anywhere!"

"We should split up," Sasuke said. "We each take a third of city and try to detect his chakra or the place where he might be hidden."

Neji nodded, "Meet back here at noon."

* * *

Sasuke strolled casually through the streets of Hidden Grass, looking much like a teenager out for a walk rather than the high-level chuunin he truly was. It was almost noon, and he had covered most of the section assigned to him. There was no sign of Najino. Sasuke turned the corner, preparing to head for the inn. As he turned, he felt a flash of chakra. Like any good shinobi, Sasuke had learned to identify a person's signature chakra. This signature was definitely one of a unique type: blond, energetic, hyper, and definitely possessing a foxy-tinge. _Naruto!_ He ignored the amazed looks of the townsfolk as he sprung into the air with chakra. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, he tracked the chakra until a giant blast showed him the exact location. Leaping to the ground, he drew three shuriken and sent them flying at a shinobi attacking his fellow Leaf. 

"Sasuke! Najino saw me…he's still around here somewhere!"

Sasuke felt a slight premonition, ducking as two kunai slashed through where his head was. Activating the Sharingan, he drew his own kunai, spinning to see where the attack came from. A flash of cloth vanished around a corner. Sasuke dashed after it. Skidding around the corner, he used chakra to walk up the other wall, directing his momentum forward. His red-tinged eyes caught Najino moving quickly across the rooftops. He launched the kunai, attempting to distract the jounin. The man simply dodged and continued on.

Without warning, the missing nin came rocketing back towards Sasuke. The younger shinobi tried to dodge, but the man's full force slammed into him. _Was this some kind of body slam attack?_ As Sasuke hit the ground, he caught a glimpse of a white-clad figure on the rooftop. _Neji! He must have hit him with Jyuken or some NinJutsu_. The jounin twisted, slashing at Sasuke's torso with the kunai. Sasuke grunted in pain as the throwing knife drew a line of blood across his ribs. Kicking the other nin off of him, Sasuke rolled up, latching onto the man with his Sharingan. The jounin began to make hand seals. Sasuke grinned coldly; the Sharingan easily detected the move and Sasuke's own hand seals matched Najino's exactly.

"**Ryuuka no Jutsu!"**

"**Ryuuka no Jutsu!"**

The two dragon fire attacks collided in the air, exploding outward and throwing chips of stone from the walls in thousands of directions. Sasuke latched the Sharingan onto Najino. Using the Sharingan as a GenJutsu this time, he copied the movements of the jounin perfectly. Najino's eyes widened as Sasuke mimicked his every move as he did it. Najino gritted his teeth and began a hand seal sequence. To his shock Sasuke began the same hand seal sequence just before him. Sasuke finished first.

"**Soushouryu!**"

The two scrolls planted next to Najino unfurled in twin smoky dragons and flew to Sasuke's side. The dragons launched hundreds of weapons to Sasuke's reach when he redirected them at Najino. Nunchaku, kunai, katanas, shuriken, bo-staves, and tessen all flew at high speeds towards the Leaf jounin. Najino deflected some and dodged others but one bo staff slammed fully into his stomach, knocking him to the ground. The weapons following it pierced his arms and legs. He stood shakily, preparing to spring away. Neji appeared in a blast of chakra, slamming an open palm on Najino's shoulder. The chakra gathered there blasted Najino into a nearby wall. Sasuke launched three shuriken which sliced across Najino's neck. Shuriken were not large enough to kill, but they let blood out. The missing nin stood shakily, combating the loss of blood. Neji stepped forward, throwing a palm forward. He released a wave of chakra outward, slamming Najino against the wall again. Sasuke leapt forward, planting a kunai in the missing nin's heart. He took several deep breaths. Neji checked Najino's pulse and looked at Sasuke.

The Uchiha wiped the blood from his side, "Mission complete."

Neji looked around, "Naruto's not here yet."

The two shinobi launched themselves in the air, heading back for the square where Naruto had been. They landed and stared in shock. Naruto was whistling, hanging upside from a rafter. Across the square were eight bodies of shinobi. Sasuke leaned down to examine one. He had a chuunin vest on.

"You defeated eight chuunin," Neji said smoothly.

Naruto grinned at them, "Heheh, it was nothing for me! I kicked all their asses. They never had a chance. I guess you guys got Najino."

Sasuke nodded, "We joined forces on him."

Neji turned to walk back to where Najino's body lay, "We need to move before others get here."

* * *

Sasuke watched the flickering flames consume Najino's body on the pyre. Konoha's secrets were safe. They had used the powder Kakashi had given them; it made the smoke light and easily dispersed by the wind. No one could track its location in time. Neji and Naruto also stood still, watching the ashes blow away from the burning pile. With their mission over, Sasuke felt an odd sort of relief at its completion, but also a pang of remorse. _Once we return to Konoha, Neji will return to his team…and we'll never speak again._ Oh, they'd meet in town, or at a briefing, but they would stay silent beyond the first greeting. Or worse, Sasuke would see him every time Neji came to see Naruto. And all the while, Neji would go out with Naruto, fully believing the Uchiha hated him. _I will not let this show; Neji and Naruto deserve each other. I will not allow my emotions to ruin their relationship._

"Oi, Sasuke-teme!"

Sasuke turned to see Neji and Naruto standing a distance away, looking at him. Startled that he had not seen them leave, he turned and walked towards them, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"We've got to get moving, or we won't reach Hidden Mist before nightfall," Neji said.

Sasuke looked at the horizon, "I don't think we will make it anyway."

Naruto just shrugged, "Oh well, camping out in the wilderness will be fun! Come on, Neji-kun! Keep up, Sasuke-teme!"

He launched himself off, leaping across the fields.

Sasuke growled, "How does that dobe have so much chakra?"

Neji shrugged, "He can go for hours."

The Hyuuga sprung after the blond, leaving Sasuke standing there, slightly shocked. _I will NOT think about what that comment meant._ He gathered chakra and leapt after them.

* * *

"Tell me again about camping in the wilderness, dobe," Sasuke smirked as he watched Naruto. 

The blond was practically jumping up and down, alternately swatting mosquitoes and complaining about the damp ground.

"These—bugs—must—have—a—death—wish," growled Naruto, punctuating each word with a sharp slap.

Neji looked up from unrolling the thick mat that posed as a bed, "If you burn frogwort herbs on the fire, they should repel most of the biting insects."

Naruto leapt upwards, "Right. What does it look like?"

Neji sighed and started explaining to Naruto the coloring, leaf configuration, location, and other information the blond would never remember. Sasuke busied himself, looking up only when he felt Naruto's chakra flare.

"Does that dobe want to draw attention?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

"Naruto's…excitable," Neji answered, as if addressed.

"Well, you should know," Sasuke said, still muttering.

Neji turned briefly, "Your point?"

Sasuke kept his head down, _Baka! Shut up, already. You just let your mouth run. Where's your self-control?_

"Sasuke?"

"What?"

"What did you mean?" Neji demanded, impassively quiet.

Sasuke just fixed Neji with a silencing glare. The Hyuuga shrugged it off, as if it was a troublesome breeze. Sasuke turned back around and smoothed his already flat bed out. Neji's eyes burned in the base of Sasuke's skull. _Damn it, can't he just drop it?_

"If anyone knows Naruto's habits, you do," the Hyuuga said quietly.

Sasuke looked up, "I'm not a threat."

"A threat to what?"

Sasuke stood and turned away, "Forget it."

Neji grabbed his arm, forcibly turning him around, "No."

Pulled his arm out of Neji's grip, Sasuke glared, "Fine. I'm not interested in Naruto, if that's what you are afraid of."

Neji's eyes seemed to shift, just slightly, "And why should I care if you're interested in Naruto?"

Sasuke growled, pulling away, "I can't believe you."

"What?"

Sasuke turned halfway back, his voice flat and cutting,"You wake up one morning, decide to hit on me, and pursue me for a few weeks. When I reject you, you pick up Naruto, and now you couldn't care less about him. You are just a selfish bastard who doesn't love anyone but yourself."

Sasuke turned and left the Hyuuga standing there in the campsite. The Uchiha needed to breathe, and he couldn't with Neji standing there. In spite of the burning anger Sasuke felt at Neji's callousness, there had been an explosion of emotion in that conversation. Sasuke never exploded with emotion, and certainly, he never let anyone see it. _I just lost my control, that's all._

"Hey, Sasuke! Give me a hand here!"

Sasuke lifted his eyes to see Naruto carrying a load of green vegetation, "No."

"Teme! Help a teammate out!"

"Fine."

Naruto dumped half the load in Sasuke's arms, "Why are you out here?"

"None of your business, dobe."

"Baka! Will you just stop with your 'selfish-bastard-who-cares-only-about-himself' act? I was trying to have a comradely moment!"

Sasuke jerked, "What did you call me?"

Naruto scratched his head with a weed-laden hand, "Baka?"

"No, my attitude."

"Oh, the 'selfish-bastard-who-cares-only-about-himself' act?"

"Hai."

Sasuke's jaw tightened, _That's what I called Neji. It's true; I treated him almost as badly as he treated Naruto. But it's not the same thing…_

"Oi, Sasuke-teme? What's the matter?"

"Naruto, how much do you like Neji?"

Naruto coughed from shock, "What?"

Sasuke looked up, "Do I have to repeat myself?"

Naruto glared at him, "Teme! I just didn't know why you would want to know. And I don't think it's any of your damn business, but I like him a lot!"

Sasuke lowered his head, "Then I'm sorry."

Naruto jumped in front of him, "Alright, teme. What the hell is going on here? What are you sorry about?"

"You and Neji."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Sasuke ignored him, turning to walk around the blond.

Naruto closed his eyes, before opening them to glare at Sasuke, "You are the most arrogant, stuck-up, self-centered bastard I have ever met. Can't you even tell a guy what the hell you're talking about?"

Sasuke sighed, "Fine. I'm sorry about you liking Neji so much."

"What the hell does that mean? Stop talking about Neji like he's some murderer or something."

Sasuke just turned away.

"Hey, I'm not done. Who the hell do you think you are, Uchiha! You just walk out here and suddenly start acting cryptic and making comments about my girlfriend's cousin! What the hell could possess you to just randomly start…"

Sasuke had stopped suddenly halfway through the rant, "Wait…your girlfriend's cousin?"

Naruto blushed, "Uh, well, Neji kinda told me that Hinata likes me. So…I'm gonna ask her on a date when we get back. I mean, we're not official yet, but I kinda think of her as my girlfriend already…HEY! Don't try to sidetrack me when I'm yelling at you, teme!"

Sasuke's brain closed down as Naruto started up again. _Naruto…has a girlfriend? He's bi? Or…are Naruto and Neji really together? What…_

"I can't believe you could really be that…"

_is going on? Could I have…_

"…self-centered and arrogant. You may be some…"

…_really misjudged their relationship? Are they…_

"…genius shinobi from some kick-ass clan, but there's…"

…_just good friends, because of Hinata's interest in Naruto?_

"…some things even you can't get away with…Sasuke? SASUKE-TEME! Look at me when I'm yelling at you!"

Sasuke looked up and shot an almost-smile at the blond, "Thank you, Naruto."

As the Uchiha turned and walked back to camp, he left behind him one very confused Uzumaki who spent the next twenty minutes trying to decipher what the hell had just happened.

* * *

When Sasuke re-entered the camp, he saw Neji leaning over the campfire, stirring something in the pot. The Hyuuga didn't flinch when Sasuke moved into sight, but the younger boy was sure he'd been seen. Sasuke sat down on his mat, still in a slightly euphoric state from learning the truth. _Neji and Naruto aren't together. Neji's...not going out with him. But, I blew my chance before...there's no way we'll ever be together as lovers. But maybe I can at least try for friendship. There's a little hope for that, at least. First step, apologize. Damn, I was such an idiot. Okay, how does this sound? Neji, I'm sorry for getting mad at you and calling you an insensitive bastard. I thought you and Naruto were together, but I shouldn't have judged because I did the same thing…no. That is much too personal. Neji said we wouldn't talk about it again. As much as it kills me, I'll respect that. Okay…Neji, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't know what I was talking about. Damn, I sound like an academy student…of course, I haven't apologized since then, so I'm out of practice. Alright…Neji…_

"It's all right, Sasuke."

Sasuke's head jerked up, "Nani?"

Neji was looking at him, a soft smile playing around his lips, "It's all right. I forgive you."

Sasuke's eyes widened, "How…"

Neji smiled, "Don't worry about it. Although…don't tell Naruto you thought we were together. You'd never hear the end of it."

Sasuke nodded, "Right."

Neji smiled and turned back to the pot.

"Hey, Neji?"

"Nani?"

"Thank you…for knowing and for forgiving me."

Neji nodded his head once, "You're welcome, Sasuke."


	9. Midnight Confession

**Well, 99.9 of the reviews of the redone Chapter 8 are positive. Sorry for taking so long with this one, but with finals and general chaos, it took me a bit longer than expected. But at least I'm happier with the result. Here's usual stuff and new reviews:**

**Disclaimer: **Have you not read all the previous ones? Eh, fine, I'll say it again. I, in no way, shape, or form, own Naruto or its characters. This plot, however, be-eth all mine. No touchie.

**Warning:** Yaoi…shounen-ai, whichever you prefer.**I have raised the rating**…I don't know if it's necessary, but it allows me to write what I'd like. And it stops me from sweating every time I write a chapter. Language is the primary cause so far, but I'm not sure whether I'll be including..._other_ things in the future.

**Old Reviews:  
Kawaii Kitsune-kun: **Don't worry, _this_ NejiSasu will have a happy ending. But not before they have some trouble first. :evil grin: But I don't make promises for my other NejiSasu stories.  
**Frontier of Darkness:** Hahaha, good. That was the point.  
**Midnight-Sunset: **Hahaha, Konoha's reaction will definitely play a part. Just you wait and see…  
**YoungSasuke**: Yay! I enjoy making people run around in happiness…  
**Sodesne: **Wow, you have a good relationship with the Uchihas. Me, well…let's say Sasuke's not too happy with me right now. :nod:  
**Shikani: **Arigato! Yes, I have many plans for poor NejiSasu…  
**Prosopopeia: **Exactly. Did you mention they were gorgeous? 'Cause that's really important.  
**Lala to the power of 2: **Hai. Arigato.  
**Ruby Heart: **Wow, you liked it enough to read all eight chapters at once? I'm flattered. Arigato.  
**Ramen-Ou: **Rats. I'm sorry you felt it was rushed. I was trying to keep it from getting redundant: Neji likes Sasuke, Sasuke says no, Neji's cold, Sasuke cries, rinse and repeat. I doubt I could have gone much farther. And I did warn you there was NejiSasu in this chapter. Gomen. But I promise you this is not one of those: kiss and be forever lovers stories. Like any good relationship, it is going to need some work.  
**Spiritwolf112: **Right there is the highest praise I think I can get. You don't like yaoi, and you like this. :copies YoungSasuke and runs around happily: Wasi wasi arigato.  
**Yuki-chan2: **Hai. The fluffiness was practically smothering in this. But I thought they deserved some fluff after working so hard.  
**Bitenshi**: New reviewer! Yay!

**New Reviews:  
Jennifer Darknight: **Good, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I hope the next chapter keeps you interested!  
**Kurosaisei: **Haha, no problem. As long as you review now :hint hint: I'll forgive you.  
**Kawaii Kitsune-kun: **Yay, I'm glad you thought this one was deeper. That was the goal. It just didn't feel right not to make Sasuke suffer a little more.  
**Bitenshi: **Wasi wasi arigato. Neji and Sasuke will get a few more concrete feelings in this chapter, but settled won't come until the epilogue…which is still a bit away if I have anything to say about it…which I do.

**Okay, given how I redid "Ray of Hope" this is actually a brand spankin' new chapter…mostly. What was Chapter 9 will now be redone as Chapter 10 most likely. And I get to use the chapter title I've wanted to use for a loooong time. Anyway, read and enjoy…please.**

* * *

**Chapter 9- "Midnight Confession"**

Consciousness started to seep back into Sasuke's brain slowly, along with the much-too-bright light involved in sleeping outside. As usual, he closed his eyes tighter, trying to block out the painful rays. He heard a laugh. Sasuke's eyes opened curiously. Neji was standing above him, the traces of his laugh fading to impassivity.

"At last."

Sasuke forcibly stopped all the blood from rushing to his face, "Nani?"

Neji nodded, "We're packing to leave. It's time to wake up."

Sasuke edged out of the covered mat and began to roll it up into a bundle, "I'll be ready shortly."

He winced, _that sounded too much like a dismissal_. As if to prove him right, Neji nodded stiffly and turned to convert his own bag into the bundle. Sasuke turned his head back to his own task, before raising it again.

"Where's Naruto?"

Neji continued packing as he spoke, "He left a few minutes ago…he said he wanted to walk alone for a bit."

Sasuke swallowed. Having to walk alone with Neji in this state was not high on his list of favorite things to do. The Uchiha was torn between two emotions: now that Neji was eligible, he was more than a little nervous around the Hyuuga; but since the events of the previous day (and potentially since the week before), the Hyuuga was consistently formal with him. Sasuke took a deep breath as he made the last fold in his blanket. He would have to win Neji's trust back.

"Are you ready, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

Sasuke shouldered his pack and started off through the forest, noting Neji move closer and walk beside him. Slightly moistening his lips, the Uchiha tried not to mind the Hyuuga's presence. Neji seemed to be having no trouble, walking with smooth, confident steps. Sasuke watched him out of the corner of his eye, noting the fluidity of his motions. The long-haired boy was just as graceful and elegant in something as mundane as walking as he was in combat. Sasuke felt his eyes slide over the boy's figure from head to toe. _Damn, he's beautiful_.

"Is there something wrong?"

Sasuke kept his startled reaction to a minimum, slightly re-orienting his eyes forward, "No. Why?"

"You were staring at me."

Sasuke couldn't think of an appropriate response, so he just ignored the statement.

"I told you not to worry anymore. So stop."

_No! That's not what I meant,_ Sasuke growled under his breath. _The fates have to be against me…fates? I'm starting to sound like him._

"I wasn't worried." _Shit! Why did I say that? No. No. No._

Neji barely hesitated before continuing to walk, "Good."

Sasuke took a deep breath. Half of him was thanking all the gods for his narrow escape; the other half was torn that Neji didn't see what he was really trying to say. It was going to be a long time before Neji could really see his feelings. Maybe even forever.

* * *

It had been a good two hours since they left camp, and still there was no sign of Naruto. Sasuke was starting to get edgy around Neji, torn between keeping his cool and violently proclaiming his feelings. The Hyuuga was quiet and cool, as usual; Sasuke envied him at the moment. He never looked like he felt the slightest discomfort even when he had taken Sasuke in his arms that one day…_Damn. That felt good._ Sasuke tried to focus his mind elsewhere. _Concentrate. Find Naruto. Right, search for the chakra. Nothing…except Neji's white chakra…white like his eyes…his closed eyes when he held me and leaned forward…no. Naruto. Blue chakra…not white._ He swallowed his building saliva casually. Something was going to have to happen very soon or he was going to lose some control…

"Ohayo!" came the chipper voice of Naruto.

The blond leapt from a nearby tree to the ground, plopping right into step with Neji and Sasuke.

"You certainly took your time," Neji said smoothly.

Naruto waved his hand, "Eh, I was trying to think of things to ask Hinata about when we get to Konoha. I mean, a guy's gotta be prepared. Hey, Sasuke. You've got girls climbing all over you; what would you do if you liked one and took her on a date?"

_Neji. Listening. No. _"Dobe."

"What? Come on, tell me!"

"No."

"Teme! Can't you help a friend out?"

"Usuratonkachi."

Naruto stuck his lower lip out dramatically and glared at the Uchiha, "You're such a selfish bastard. Neji, what would you do? She is your cousin anyway."

Sasuke flinched, _Did Neji just look over at me? I thought I saw him move…was he…_.

Impassive once again, the Hyuuga spoke deliberately, "Hinata already likes you. You don't have to worry about what to be like around her. She likes _you_."

Sasuke tightened his jaw, _Could he be…talking to me?_

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, but…I want to make a good impression. What would you do to make her remember the date?"

Neji shrugged gracefully, "Perhaps compliment her on her appearance. Take her somewhere special…not Ichiraku."

Naruto pouted, "Why not?"

Neji fixed an eye on the blond, "Ichiraku is not fine cuisine."

Naruto frowned, "Yes, it is! Alright, alright…what else?"

Neji looked thoughtful, "If you really want her to remember it, you must treat her differently throughout the entire date. Make her the focus of your attention at all times."

Sasuke suppressed a jerk, _That's why Neji was so determined. He was thinking about me the whole time. That's why I couldn't get him out of my mind. Take his advice, Naruto. It works damn well._

Naruto nodded slowly, "I get it. Make her feel special, ne?"

Neji nodded once, "Exactly."

Sasuke stopped breathing. On that word, Neji's eyes had risen to fix on the Uchiha's dark ones. Both boys froze, letting the silence speak louder than ever. Though neither wanted the gaze to continue, neither looked away. Neji's pale eyes bored into Sasuke's black ones. The younger boy felt his face soften involuntarily. _No, damn it. I can't show him how I feel yet._ He tried vainly to school his face back to impassivity, but before he could, his eyes shifted…just slightly. For a Hyuuga, it was obviously enough. Neji jerked. The jerk was the sudden, startled, ungraceful, and "I was completely unprepared for this" kind of jerk…the one Neji _never_ does. And just like that, the moment shattered. The forest's ambient noise rushed back to Sasuke's now-burning ears. Naruto's chatter increased volume and filtered through the sunlit air. Sasuke averted his gaze from the Hyuuga, studiously avoiding all contact with him. He'd have to be more careful from now on. Who knows how much Neji already suspected. They were almost to Hidden Mist. Once they got there, he'd find a way to avoid any more contact.

* * *

"I am not sure whether to demote you all or simply have Tsunade-sama force you to scrub the Hokage Tower for a year."

Naruto started yelling, "Hey! We just chased after a Leaf jounin and caught him in Hidden Grass. We completed our mission and killed the baka! And now you want to DEMOTE us!"

Kakashi's visible eye slitted just a bit, "He is dead, then?"

Sasuke threw Najino's crest at Kakashi's feet. The jounin squatted and examined it.

"You still showed bad judgment in pursuing a high-level missing nin without your jounin supervisor."

"He was getting away; any longer and we may not have been able to pick up his trail," Neji said smoothly.

Kakashi sighed, "Very well. But do try to avoid taking on S-level missions before you're ready."

Naruto's eyes bugged, "This was S-level!"

Kakashi fixed them with his one eye, "Hai."

Naruto passed out. Sasuke felt a little shaky himself. Had he known the man was S-level he would not have been so aggressive. Had he been less aggressive, however, he may not have survived.

Neji spoke, his voice smooth and flat, "Is there a reason you did not tell us?"

Kakashi's eye returned to its usual, heavy-lidded position, "I assumed I would be with you and could intervene if necessary. It wasn't essential for you to know. Tell me everything that happened."

Sasuke looked up, "Why?"

"The mission report."

Sasuke hid his doubts, _We're all Chuunin; we've written mission reports for three years at least. There is something behind that: underneath the underneath._

Neji spoke, "We tracked the man to Hidden Grass, got a room at an inn, and went searching for him the next morning. Naruto found him first, then Sasuke. While Sasuke distracted him, I was able to prevent him from escaping. Sasuke used the Sharingan and copied Najino's **Soushouryu**. The combined attacks from both of us finished him off."

Suddenly, Naruto bolted into a sitting position, "HEY! Don't make it sound like I didn't do anything! I defeated eight, count 'em, EIGHT Grass chuunin."

Neji nodded, "Yes, he did."

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow, "That was it?"

Sasuke grunted, "Hn."

The jounin sighed, "Well, since you've all worked so hard, we'll spend the rest of the day here. We leave for Konoha tomorrow morning."

The blond leapt upright, "YAHOO! Arigato, Kakashi-sensei! YAY!"

The two other chuunin watched the excitable blond hop around yelling things in his joy. Naruto was cheering and dancing around as if he hadn't had a day off in years…which may actually have been true.

"NEJI-KUN! Want to go out into the city? I want to buy something for Hinata-chan, but I don't know what she likes. You've GOT to help me!" Naruto yelled, grabbing Neji by the arms and bouncing up and down.

_They're not together; they're not together._

Neji disentangled himself from the blond's grasp, "Very well. Sasuke, will you join us?"

It was hard to tell who was more surprised: Naruto or Sasuke. The latter expressed his surprise with a lifted eyebrow, while the former used dramatic facial expressions and more than one strangled gasp.

Sasuke cleared his throat quietly, "No. I want to rest."

The Hyuuga's face barely hardened, "Very well. Naruto, we should go now."

Sasuke waited until they had left the house before turning to go upstairs. He sat down on his bed heavily. _Why did Neji ask me to come? He's been cool ever since the kiss. (Mm, the kiss…) No! He's acting differently. Hell, _I'm _acting differently. We're all insane. Except for Naruto…he's the same as always. I barely know what I'm doing anymore. Back when I was young, I was driven by revenge. It was all I wanted. Now that that quest is over, I do not know where to go next. But at least I thought I knew where I would end up. Now, my life's been turned upside-down by a handsome boy that's captured my attention. My "normal" life is so screwed._

He lay back on the bed, covering his eyes with an arm. He tried to quiet his mind, to get some rest from all his thoughts. Finally, the silence and peace of the room let him drift…slowly…awa---

"Before you go to sleep, we should talk."

Sasuke bolted upright, a kunai in his hand ready to launch. He narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired jounin.

"What are you doing here?"

Kakashi sighed, "Like I said, we should talk."

The Uchiha stuck his kunai back in the holster, "About what?"

"Neji."

A bolt of electricity shot through Sasuke's spine, "Why?"

"You two are being very stupid."

Uchiha pride rose violently at that statement, "What did you say?"

"Each of you is refusing to acknowledge the other when he needs it."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "What are you trying to say?"

Kakashi stood and started to leave the room, shooting a final statement over his shoulder, "If you two are ever going to be happy, you need to fix this…now."

Sasuke openly gaped at the jounin's retreating back. _How did he…_

* * *

It was dark when Neji and Naruto finally returned from their excursion. Dinner had come and gone, and the moon was almost to the peak of its journey. Sasuke was reading a jutsu scroll in his room by candlelight when he heard the downstairs door open and muffled voices. Suddenly feeling inexplicably nervous, he tossed the scroll in the corner, pulled off his shirt, and slipped into bed. The candle was still burning, until he snuffed it right before the stairs creaked.

"Sasuke?"

Neji's whisper floated through the room's abnormally silent air. Sasuke felt his breathing accelerate, and he forced himself to use the Taijutsu technique of perfectly controlling one's body. He could almost feel Neji's presence, though the chakra was undetectable, as the older boy moved through the darkness into the bed on the other side of the room. Sasuke closed his eyes, trying to keep from moving. _After what Kakashi said…I want to say something, but…I can't. Afraid. That's what I am afraid. I'm a damned coward. Such…a…_

Sasuke awoke, startled. He had not noticed going to sleep after Neji returned, but the moon was in a different place. He had to have drifted off. Feeling too warm for comfort, he sat up, pushing the sheets off his body. In a flash of remembrance, he shot a quick look over at Neji's bed. The room was too dark to see his features, and Sasuke did not want to use the Sharingan in case the chakra woke him up. But he could see the Hyuuga's shape laying on its side, obviously still asleep. Sasuke shook his head; _I have to get out of here. There's a river nearby; I need a swim._ Grabbing his shirt, he slipped it on and left the house quietly. Passing through the gate, he ignored the watchman, who ignored him back. Seating himself on the riverbank, Sasuke rested his head on his knees. _What am I doing? I can't just keep running away forever. I've got to face him sometime. And though the thought of telling him how I feel scares me, it's all I can think about. It's all I want._

"Do you plan to sit there all night?"

Sharingan-filled eyes were instantly scanning the area for the source of the voice, _There. In the water._ The reflection of the moon in the water rippled as the figure moved out of the shadows into the moonlight. Sasuke felt his throat seal.

"Neji," he managed to croak out.

"I suppose I am not the only one who needed to relax."

Sasuke shook his head slightly, not willing to trust his voice.

"Well, aren't you coming in?" the Hyuuga said, the barest hint of his old teasing in his voice.

The Uchiha froze for a moment, before standing and pulling off his shirt. He avoided meeting Neji's eyes as he slipped out of his pants, leaving only his boxers on. Stepping into the water, he shivered slightly in the cold. Only when he submerged and came up again did he look at the other boy.

"I thought you were still asleep," he said, mentally hitting himself for the stupidity.

Neji shrugged, "I wasn't tired, so I left a bunshin in case Kakashi missed me."

Sasuke nodded, at a loss for any more conversation. The other seemed perfectly content to float through the water, letting the ripples bounce off his skin. Sasuke found he couldn't look at the Hyuuga without a stab of some mix of emotions. He'd narrowed down longing, remorse, hurt, and a tinge of want, but he was sure he was missing a few. Without warning, Neji rolled to a standing position and started to walk towards the bank.

"Where are you going?" asked Sasuke, a little faster than he would have liked.

"Back. I'm tired of the water."

Sasuke waited as the boy pulled on his pants. _I've got to say something now!_

"Wait."

Neji turned and watched the Uchiha expectantly.

To buy himself some time, Sasuke swam towards the edge and started to pull himself out of the water. Suddenly, his foot slipped off the slimy rock he was using for support, and he slid back into the water, hissing in pain. The ankle had gotten caught between two rocks as he fell, holding it firm while his body twisted. Freeing himself, Sasuke managed to get himself onto the bank before touching his ankle and shutting his eyes. Shinobi or no, a twisted ankle hurt. In a moment, he felt cool hands move his hands aside. _He's probably laughing at me right now_. He opened his eyes slightly to see Neji intent on checking Sasuke's ankle. The Hyuuga's unbound hair cascaded over his shoulders, falling like a black curtain in front of his face. Drops of water fell from the wet strands onto Sasuke's leg. The younger boy felt his eyes trace over the lines of Neji's body. Some of the long black hair was plastered against Neji's bare back, sending rivulets of liquid rolling down his spine. The combination of the water, the moonlight, and Neji's own beautiful appearance was too much for Sasuke's mind to handle. He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the powerful emotions tugging at his chest. _Stop it, right now._

"Sasuke? Can you walk?"

The Uchiha opened his eyes, trying to look like he was doing anything other than fighting the urge to kiss the boy in front of him, "Hai."

Neji pulled him up slowly, letting the younger boy's ankle get used to the weight. Sasuke managed to keep his balance, as he took one step forward. He wobbled a little, causing Neji to catch his arm again. The Hyuuga stepped closer, putting Sasuke's arm around his back and supporting him with an arm around his side.

It was as if someone had lit Sasuke's blood on fire. The sensation of Neji's smooth skin against his, the warmth of his arm around his waist, the slight feeling of dependency. As Neji started to move them both forward, Sasuke leaned his head on the older boy's shoulder. He instantly felt the other boy tense. _I'm sorry, Neji. I won't wait any longer_. Sasuke turned his head slightly, brushing his lips against the skin of Neji's shoulder. Lifting his head, he forced himself to look into Neji's frozen face.

"Gomen nasai. But I want you to know, Neji. I don't hate you."

The Hyuuga was still, his pale eyes unreadable. Sasuke felt the pressure mount under the constant gaze. Feeling it too much to handle, he disengaged from Neji's frozen grasp and started to hobble away. At the last possible moment, he felt a cool hand grab his wrist. The force applied was enough to pull him off balance, forcing him to fall directly into Neji. The older boy tipped the younger one's chin up, making him look him in the eyes. Without warning, the Byakugan appeared in the Hyuuga's eyes, holding Sasuke captive. The white eyes were searing, peeling back every layer of deception Sasuke had crafted for himself and for others, destroyed every false illusion in either of their minds. When the work was done, the advanced bloodline faded, and the terrible white eyes were replaced with something resembling affection…or something stronger.

"Sasuke, you really want this," it was not a question.

"Hai."

Sasuke raised his hand to the back of Neji's neck, pulling him down. Their lips met; softly at first, then moving to deep emotion. Sasuke pressed hard against the taller boy's body, forcing more contact. Neji's arms encircled the Uchiha's waist, just like they had during that first kiss so long ago. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Neji's neck, holding him there. They were not demanding kisses, but ones of simple fulfillment. Both had wanted this, and they would have it now. Breaking apart gently, Sasuke leaned his head against Neji's chest.

"Neji? I'm…sorry…for everything," he whispered.

There was a moment of silence.

"It's alright."

Neji's hand lifted Sasuke's face up so he could see the Hyuuga's face. It was smiling, a genuine smile with no trace of teasing or humor or mischievousness. It was just one of love. Sasuke reached up to press his lips to the older boy's. Neji returned the kiss gently, answering the emotion as well as the action. As they parted for the second time, Neji reached up and smoothed Sasuke's hair out of his eyes.

"We'd better return. It's almost day."

Sasuke nodded silently.

The sunrise in Hidden Mist that day was no different than any of the others that had occurred for eons. But this one saw something none other ever had. It saw two lovers slowly walking home: the elder with his arm supporting the younger, and the younger with his hand lazily playing in the other's long hair. For them, the sunrise was somehow brighter and more beautiful than any other.

**

* * *

Whew, that was rough. Okay, clocking in at a substantial 3,449 words (putting me above the 20,000 total words mark), the chapter is finished. This could be my favorite chapter of the bunch, so far. I think. Meh, I really need to learn to be firm with myself.**

**Just so you all know, I'm leaving June 5th and I won't return until sometime on the 13th. I'll try to get another chapter up before I leave _again_ on the 19th. Yeah, my life is hectic. Anyway, tell me how you liked this chapter. Ciao, everyone! **

**P.S. Forgive my FFnet newbie-ness, but could someone explain what the difference between a lemon and a lime is? Arigato!**


	10. The Morning After

**Note: I originally posted an all-around chapter here with some fluff, some humor, some angst, and waaaay few redone words. It was basically an artistic cut-and-paste from the deleted chapter. So you would've recognized a paragraph or two…or twenty. I basically edited it for flow, since I actually liked how this part of the story turned out. However, I have now changed my mind, as I was not happy with it. So I have deleted it, and am inserting a story progression chapter which I feel eliminates the rushedness I was writing (again) and develops the characters a little more. In summary, this is filler.**

**Okay, I'm back y'all…I'm trying to get this chapter up before I leave on Sunday (June 19) for another two weeks. I want to leave you guys _something_ to read.**

**Disclaimer**: Blergh, I hate writing these. Not mine, never will be unless Masashi-san dies and leaves it to me. :dreamy eyes: Uh…moving on…

**Warning**: Yaoi, a touch of language, and angstiness.

**Kurosaisei**: Epitome of cute, eh? Then I'm happy.  
**Prosopopeia**: Yes, I liked the "I don't hate you" too. It somehow seemed to fit their relationship more than "NEJI-KUN :glomps:." Ick, that's just wrong with Sasuke.  
**NaruHinalover: **Funny, I like it. Positive feedback, always a plus!  
**Kawaii Kitsune-kun: **When you weren't the first reviewer, I nearly had a heart attack. Glad you like the redoes.  
**Spectre: **Thanks!  
**Frontier of Darkness: **Heheh, well…as long as I get my positive reviews, it doesn't matter.  
**Ranni: **Good! I'm glad to expose another to the wonders of NejiSasu.  
**Bitenshi**: Yes, don't worry…flipped-out Naruto will be making a re-emergence. Btw, maybe we should lay off the sugar late at night, hm :wink:  
**HikAri Aki: **New reviewer props!  
**Frontier of Darkness: **Aw, I miss you guys too! I'll be back the second of July, but I probably won't start the next chapter until the fifth or so.

**Well, here tis...**

* * *

**Chapter 10- "The Morning After"**

Sasuke stretched his back out, arching it to relieve the knots that had formed during his sleep. Doing this caused the covers to wrap tighter around his waist. Neji muttered in protest and nestled himself deeper into the thin mattress resting on the floor. Sasuke smiled slightly at the sight of the Hyuuga genius grumbling about the cold. He leaned back and pulled the covers up over his shoulder again. On a rare impulse he edged his body backwards, bringing it right up against Neji's slightly breathing figure. The Hyuuga smiled sleepily and wrapped his arm over Sasuke's chest, pulling him closer. The two shinobi lay there, resting next to each other. Sasuke succumbed to the drowsy feeling and let his eyelids close slowly. Neji was so warm and comfortable. He could feel the other boy's breath on the back of his neck; it was soothing, somehow, to not worry and just let himself be held for a while. The Hyuuga moved slightly behind him. Sasuke felt a warm touch on the tip of his ear.

"Ohayo, Sasu-chan."

Sasuke lazily rolled over so he was facing the older boy, "Ohayo, Neji."

Neji's arms pulled Sasuke close to his chest. The Uchiha just lay there, breathing easily. He was not used to this level of physical contact…or any level for that matter. Neji was comfortable, obviously, but Sasuke felt odd hugging someone.

_The previous night…_

_As Neji helped him through the door, Sasuke closed it with a soft click. Neji released the arm around his waist and started to turn down Sasuke's bed. Sasuke grabbed the Hyuuga's arm and turned him around with a small smile creasing his lips. Neji stepped a little closer, taking Sasuke fully in his arms. Sasuke wrapped his around Neji's neck, holding the other boy close. Neji brought his forehead to touch Sasuke's, staring at him with pale eyes. Sasuke felt a shiver run up his spine; Neji's eyes made him feel vulnerable and safe at the same time. He leaned up and captured the Hyuuga's lips with his own. Neji responded immediately, and the two boys stayed motionless for a few moments, thoroughly engaged in one another. Sasuke ran his tongue under Neji's, caressing him gently. Neji broke the kiss and started to kiss down Sasuke's jaw. Sasuke closed his eyes and let the older boy suck his neck gently. Neji's hands shifted from the small of Sasuke's back to a little higher and then back, rubbing his back slowly. Sasuke let out a ragged breath. Neji took that as encouragement and slipped his hands under Sasuke's shirt, rubbing his warm skin. Sasuke wrapped his arms tighter around Neji's neck, absorbing the comfort he was receiving. As Neji's hands moved lower and lower, they reached the waist of Sasuke's shorts and slipped further down still…_

_Sasuke's hands caught Neji's, "Wait."_

_Neji lifted his head, "Hm?"_

_Sasuke swallowed a little unsurely, "I'm…not ready…quite yet."_

_Neji smiled softly, "Alright. We'll stop here."_

_Sasuke sighed gratefully. Neji kissed his lips briefly, before turning to pull off his robe and slip in the covers. Sasuke watched him, feeling relieved Neji had not pressed the matter but also a little saddened by his withdrawal. He pulled off his own shirt and slipped into his bed. Silence reigned for a moment or two._

"_Neji."_

"_Nani?"_

_Sasuke got up and limped the room, kneeling and crawling into Neji's bed. The older boy wrapped his arms around the Uchiha and pulled him close. Sasuke leaned into the embrace, his head resting just under Neji's chin. He slipped his own arms around Neji and rested his head on the floor. Neji kissed his hair softly._

"_Oyasuminasai, Sasu-chan."_

Sasuke opened his eyes to see Neji watching him carefully. The younger boy smiled, looking up at the older.

"What is it?" Neji asked.

"You can't read my mind?" Sasuke asked wryly.

Neji smirked, "I was being courteous."

Sasuke fixed him with an impassive stare. Neji leaned down to brush his lips softly over the bridge of Sasuke's nose.

"I know you're not used to it yet. There's no rush," the Hyuuga whispered.

Sasuke kept his impassive face while he tried to figure out how the hell he did that. Neji just smiled and closed his eyes again, sinking back into the thin mattress. Sasuke watched him for a little longer before sliding his arms around him and closing his eyes as well. Neither of them heard the door creak.

"NANI!"

Neji leapt up immediately, the sheets falling off his body. Sasuke sat up, gritting his teeth against the stab of pain that shot up through his foot. There stood a wide-eyed Naruto in his customary orange jacket, staring at them with his mouth agape. Sasuke cleared his throat, avoiding looking at Neji.

"Ohayo, Naruto," he said, his voice remarkably firm.

Naruto just looked back and forth from Neji to Sasuke, blankly. Sasuke sighed, _This is going to take some explaining_.

"Ano sa, ano sa…why are you guys in bed together?" Naruto managed to stutter out.

Neji tilted his head slightly. Sasuke could just barely make out his pale eyes through the waterfall of dark hair. They were clearly asking how he wanted to handle this.

Sasuke brushed a loose strand out of his eyes, "We wanted to be."

Naruto's mouth flapped before he blurted, "But...you were hugging...wait, you guys are...gay?"

Neji's mouth twitched in an amused smirk, "Usually when two boys are interested in each other, they are gay."

"Demo…demo…you guys are _gay_!"

Sasuke used his trademark serious look on the Uzumaki, "Do you mind?"

Naruto's mouth flapped a little more, "…N-no, I guess not…but…I wasn't expecting...damn, you guys get all the chicks, and then you're both gay!"

Naruto's eyes suddenly got very wide, "In Hidden Grass...EW! I mean, I don't mind but just…EW!"

Sasuke could not help but chuckle at Naruto running around the room, flapping his arms. He realized while Naruto didn't mind their relationship, he still had to make a big deal and a joke of everything. Sasuke suddenly felt very mischievous, _It's amazing what a boyfriend can do for your personality_. He stood up and hobbled his way over to Neji.

"Naruto," he said.

"Nani?"

Sasuke placed a soft kiss on the corner of Neji's mouth. The Hyuuga smirked before slipping his arms around the Uchiha's waist. Naruto's eyes bugged, and he started running around, yelling even more. Sasuke pulled away and started to chuckle softly. Naruto stopped and stared at him, amazed.

"Neji, if him being with you means Sasuke's no longer a bastard, this is the best thing ever!"

Sasuke's fist on Naruto's head made a very loud cracking noise.

"OW!"

"Sasu-chan, leave the boy alone," Neji chuckled, pulling Sasuke away.

Naruto's eyes bugged again, "Sasu-chan?"

Sasuke shot a death glare his way. Naruto ignored it and began to laugh hysterically. Sasuke was prevented from inflicting serious pain by the long-haired boy who was restraining a laugh himself. Sasuke shot glares at them both alternately.

Naruto wiped his eyes, "I can't wait to tell Kakashi-sensei when he gets back."

Sasuke pursed his lips in thought, "Naruto, you're not going to tell anyone about this."

Four eyes, two blue and two white, turned to watch him.

"Why not?"

_Why not, indeed? _"I just don't want this getting around before _we_ tell anyone."

Naruto nodded, "Hai. I get it."

Sasuke nodded, "Now get out of here. Neji and I need to get dressed."

Naruto hopped out the door.

Poking his head back in, he smirked, "Don't take _too_ long, boys."

Four kunai, three shuriken, and a small fireball thudded into the closed door.

* * *

The three shinobi were kneeling around the table in the downstairs when the loud plume of smoke that always accompanies everyone's favorite jounin appeared.

"Yo."

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke said blandly, taking another sip of tea.

"Are you ready to leave?"

"Hai," Neji answered.

"Then we should get going. Sasuke, I want to talk to you. You two, start now. We'll catch up later."

Neji stood up, taking his pack and sliding the door open. Naruto stared for a little longer, before hopping up and running after the Hyuuga. Sasuke stood slowly and began to gather his things, limping still just a bit.

"What is it?"

The silver-haired jounin sounded bored, "I'm recommending you for jounin testing when we return."

The cup in Sasuke's hand only trembled for a brief moment, "Nani?"

"I think your performance on this mission was sufficient to qualify you."

"What about Neji and Naruto?"

"Neji is Gai's pupil, and he will most likely qualify him to counter my qualification of you," the jounin said, rubbing his eyes.

"And Naruto?"

"I haven't decided yet. He's come a long way, but being a jounin requires a certain level of maturity."

Sasuke sighed, "For what it's worth, I think he can do it."

The jounin was silent for a moment, "Did you just ask me to qualify him?"

Sasuke choked a little, "No."

"Then I won't."

"You mean, I have to ask for him to be qualified?"

"Yeah."

"You are a bastard."

"We'd better get moving."

Sasuke growled, "Fine. Qualify Naruto. I'd trust him with my life. Now are you happy?"

Kakashi's face creased in a grin, "Yeah."

"Good. Now let's go. I don't want to spend more time with you than I have to."

"Tsk tsk, Sasuke. Just because I'm qualifying you doesn't give you the right to be snippy."

"Whatever."

"And Sasuke…"

"What?"

"I'm proud of you. I think you are worthy to restore the Uchiha clan to Konoha."

Sasuke stared after the jounin in silence, as the latter proceeded to walk ahead.

…

Catching up with the others simply required a quick walking pace, and soon the four Konoha shinobi were walking in formation down the lonely road towards their home. Kakashi, buried in his book as always, walked just in front of Naruto, who kept turning around, trying to catch the two others doing something…interesting. The two in question, while tempted to take chances, had yet to do anything worth mentioning. Naruto rolled his eyes; being the only one without something to do was boooooooooooring. But then, when had that stopped an Uzumaki?

Neji laughed softly at Sasuke's whispered comment, his arm sliding around the shorter boy's waist and resting easily on his hip. The Uchiha smirked and mimicked the gesture. The two strolled along casually, alternating speaking in low voices or just resting with the other by his side. Sasuke was feeling a little groggy from the heat and the pain in his foot. His head bobbed a little. Then he felt a hand move his head over to rest on Neji's shoulder. He looked up at the Hyuuga gratefully. The older boy just smiled down at him and kept walking, supporting Sasuke's weight. As Sasuke was beginning to drift off, he felt a distinct pinch on his butt. He jerked up to look at Neji, who had a look of pure innocence on his face. Sasuke glared at the innocent look before putting his head back down. Then, he felt Neji jerk a little. Looking up again, he saw Neji had fixed him with a cool, white stare. Sasuke was confused; _what is he looking at me for? _Then, it occurred to him.

"Naruto."

The blonde eeped slightly and snatched his hand from where it was about to pinch Sasuke's butt again. Neji looked slightly confused before the light dawned. Naruto was blushing furiously and trying to look like he had done anything but made each boy think the other had pinched him. Two advanced bloodlines glared at him, before the humor started to sink in.

The two shinobi began to laugh, softly and then a little more vigorously. Naruto joined in as soon as he determined their laugh was of the "that was funny" variety instead of the "we feel evil; let's kill Naruto" variety.

Kakashi's one visible eyebrow lifted as he heard the laughter echo from his team.

* * *

Their arrival in Konoha was much like the arrival of all other ninja teams: unnoticed. Frankly, the comings and goings of the shinobi were not of much interest to the villagers so long as they were Konoha shinobi. Neji and Sasuke had already agreed not to enter the village hand in hand. The fact that Sasuke (or Neji) had a koibito was enough to cause a significant catastrophe, and the fact that it was a _male_ koibito would be more than enough to freeze over a certain subterranean furnace, as well as to suddenly make pigs sprout feathery wings. Both boys preferred to prevent Doomsday…if they could help it.

"You know," Kakashi began in his slow drawl. "If you two want more time together, I could probably require you to live in the same house…at least for tonight."

Three heads, two black and one blonde, shot up and stared at the silver-haired jounin.

"W-what did you say?" demanded Naruto.

"More time?" inquired Neji, casually.

"Same house?" asked Sasuke flatly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, "You honestly expected me not to notice?"

"Er…yes?" Naruto stuttered.

"I didn't really expect anything," Sasuke said, still maintaining his casual look.

"Nor I," Neji said. "But now we won't have to worry about breaking the news to you."

Kakashi nodded, "Although, if I might give you some advice…don't tell anyone. Not yet. You'd be better off easing into the topic rather than simply announcing it at the training ground."

"We were planning a little more subtlety," Neji commented.

Sasuke nodded blandly.

Kakashi shrugged, "So…do you want me to be a demanding teacher or no?"

The two boys exchanged looks, "We can't go against our sensei."

* * *

Neji laid his pack down in Sasuke's room, turning around and surveying the house casually.

"It's as big as the Hyuuga manor, but you have no one to share it with."

Sasuke looked away briefly. Neji shook his head.

"Forgive me. I spoke without thinking."

Sasuke smirked, trying to lighten the mood, "You can do that?"

Neji smiled back, "Come on, Sasu-chan. We should prepare some dinner."

Sasuke nodded, watching Neji leave the room and walk down the stairs to the kitchen. It had been so long since anyone had been in this house with him. It felt good that Neji was the first. He followed the older boy to the kitchen and started getting the ingredients out for a meal.

"You can cook?" Neji asked.

Sasuke nodded, "I had to learn."

"Will you teach me?"

Sasuke turned, a little surprised, "To cook?"

Neji nodded.

"Alright. Come over here."

Sasuke handed the Hyuuga the wok and the thin bamboo used to stir things. As he started his lesson, a thought slid into his head, _We're so comfortable with each other, when we've only been friends for a short while. And boyfriends even shorter. Boyfriends…_ Sasuke shivered a little in part delight and part nervousness. What did it mean to be and have a boyfriend?

"Sasuke? Sasuke?"

Sasuke's gaze focused back on the amused Hyuuga, "What?"

"I stir like this?"

"No, more circular," Sasuke said, moving in front of Neji and taking the bamboo. "Even, smooth strokes so the oil coats the surface but doesn't splash around."

From behind him, two arms appeared, covering Sasuke's and guiding his motions with the bamboo. Sasuke hid his smile.

"Like this?"

"Hai. Like that."

Neji moved closer so his whole body was resting against Sasuke's, and his arms were covering the Uchiha's. Sasuke pressed back a little, leaning his head against Neji's neck. The older boy leaned forward a little, nibbling at the tip of Sasuke's ear. Sasuke closed his eyes, leaning back fully into Neji's embrace.

"Mm," Sasuke whispered.

Neji stopped briefly, "Sasu-chan?"

"What?" said the Uchiha, turning to face Neji fully.

The Hyuuga shot a look over his shoulder at the wok. Sasuke turned back to look. The oil was burning and becoming like gelatin on the pan's surface.

"We'll need a new wok."

Neji nodded, "And I want more lessons like this."

Sasuke smirked, "Exactly like this one?"

"Exactly."

* * *

After dinner, Sasuke and Neji sat outside in the small garden, sipping tea. Sasuke was seated beside Neji but had somehow managed to lean so he was almost lying in Neji's arms. The moon was out, and the stars winked and sparkled at them. They didn't say much but were content to just sit with each other. Sasuke could hear Neji's heartbeat, and it struck him how different life seemed with someone to share it with.

"Neji?"

"What?"

"You are really…a good person," he finished, lamely.

Neji raised an eyebrow, "Was that a compliment?"

Sasuke coughed, "It seemed like a good time."

Neji chuckled, "You're a good person too, Sasuke."

They sat in silence for a while.

"Neji?"

"What?"

"What I said…I meant…I like you being here with me."

"I do too, Sasuke. So, we should keep at it then."

"Yes."

A cloud passed over the moon, and the stillness of the night was then restored.

"Neji?"

"Yes, Sasu-chan?"

"Let's…go to bed."

"Alright."

Neji stood, pulling the younger boy to his feet. The two shinobi turned to enter the house, slipping off their sandals. As Neji opened the door, Sasuke reached out and took his hand. Neji smiled, closing the door behind them as they made their way up the stairs.


	11. Burgeoning Storm

**Okay, I felt bad leaving you guys with just filler, so here's the latter part of the chapter 10 that I posted first. I think it works better now…it was too rushed before.**

**Disclaimer**: Not mine.

**Warning**: Yaoi, language, and angstiness.

**Kurosaisei**: Wow, you managed to catch the deleted chapter 10 in the one hour it was up. I'm impressed. Um :lowers voice: is the Sharingan really passed only through the mother? Eep, somehow I missed that…  
**Hands Down: **Glad you like it! Yeah, I thought Naruto would joke about it more than just "AHH!" or "Yum."  
**Ramen-Ou: **Haha, as long as you liked it, short reviews are fine.

**Okay, enter the angst…this will probably be a little shorter as I'm trying to get it out before I have to leave.

* * *

****Chapter 11- "Burgeoning Storm"**

A timid knock on the door jarred Sasuke from his sleep. He opened his eyes casually, and waited. The knock sounded again. Muttering curses, he lifted himself from Neji's side and started to walk down the stairs. He slid open the door to reveal Hinata.

"O-ohayo, Sasuke-kun."

Hinata only reverted to stuttering around him for some odd reason. He suspected it had to do with his long rivalry with Naruto, but right now, he was tired and impatient.

"What?"

"Um, i-is Neji-nii-san here?"

"He's asleep."

Hinata looked a little uneasy, "Well, could you tell him Father wants him home immediately?"

"Hai. I'll tell him when he wakes up."

Hinata hesitated before nodding, "Alright. Goodbye, Sasuke-kun."

"Bye."

Sasuke slid the door closed more forcefully than he wanted to. There was just no rest for a shinobi. From one thing to the next without any pause diminished the free time greatly. Sasuke growled before stomping back up the stairs and shaking Neji's shoulder. The Hyuuga glared at him sleepily.

"Hiashi-san wants you home. Now."

Neji's scowl deepened, "Hai. I'll leave immediately."

* * *

"You understand, Sasuke, being a jounin is a great responsibility as well as a privilege?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade nodded firmly before signing the scroll on her desk, "You will take your jounin exam in two weeks from today."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Two weeks?"

"Yes. Jounin exams are administered on a case-by-case basis. You will be taking it alone."

"I understand."

"We're very proud of you, Sasuke," Tsunade said, stepping out her formal role for a moment.

"Arigato, Tsunade-sama."

"And we're looking forward to the day you pick a wife, and bring your heirs back into the village."

Sasuke froze, _What the hell? Don't try to run my life, Tsunade-sama. I will choose to marry whoever I want, and I won't be put on a timetable. What am I saying? What about…Neji?_

"…hai, Tsunade-sama."

The Hokage smiled, statisfied, and waved him out. He bowed and left the Hokage Tower, heading for his home. As he walked, Sasuke felt reality prepare its needle to pop his bubble. His foot throbbed in pain, and that did nothing to raise his spirits. Previously, he had not thought beyond his love for Neji or the comfort he received from his touch. It had felt so good that Sasuke had gone ahead without knowing quite what it meant. Now, in the stillness of the misty morning, Sasuke began to hear a little voice nagging at him.

_What will it be like when we get back to Konoha? What will people say? How will our teammates take the news? Especially Sakura and Tenten, they will be upset. Is this just a short-term attraction? Do we _really_ plan to stay together forever? Kakashi-sensei said he was proud of me. He said I was worthy to restore the Uchiha. Tsunade-sama said she wanted me to get married and have heirs. But…if I'm with Neji, I can't bring back my clan. What about the Uchiha? The whole village has been waiting for the rebirth of the clan, and now the last surviving member is gay. If I tell people, they won't believe I'm worthy of the Uchiha name anymore. They will never accept that. Can I accept that? I told Kakashi-sensei my goals were to kill Itachi and to revive my clan. One is taken care of, though not the way I expected, but can I give up the other? Do I love Neji that much? Do I even love him, or am I merely experiencing what most teenagers have experienced: a crush?_

Sasuke's mood slipped lower and lower as he thought. He did not know quite what he was dealing with. He had never had serious romantic feelings for anyone before, and now it would affect the rest of his life. It was not until the walls of his house appeared around the corner that Sasuke emerged from his musings. Stopping suddenly, he saw Neji looking impassively at him from his position at the door. He tried to summon a confident air to dispel the other boy's gaze. Even without the Byakugan, Neji was still obviously unconvinced. Sasuke shot him a look that clearly asked for some privacy. Instantly, the Uchiha regretted it. Neji never looked hurt, but the temperature of the air around him dropped several tens of degrees when he was unhappy. At this moment, the temperature around Neji was rapidly approaching absolute zero. Sasuke gritted his teeth and looked away, _He's going to have to stop looking at me like that if we're to stay together_. His own mind corrected him, _He's concerned when he looks like that._ Sasuke shook his head minutely; he'd figure out his thoughts on his own, and maybe then he would tell Neji. Maybe.

"How was your meeting with Tsunade-sama?"

"Fine. I'm being tested for jounin in two weeks."

Neji nodded, "Gai-sensei qualified me this morning. That's what Hiashi-sama wanted. I'll be testing in three weeks.

Sasuke nodded shortly and moved past Neji towards the house. Neji watched him flatly. Sasuke turned around, slightly angry…without really knowing why.

Sasuke's flat dark eyes met Neji's hypnotic light ones, "You're looking at me again."

Neji answered in the same flat tone, "You didn't mind yesterday."

"I mind now."

"Then perhaps I should stop."

"Perhaps you should."

Neji's eyes were piercingly cold. Sasuke fought the urge to say something to ease the tension. _I am not his plaything!_ he thought desperately to himself. Without a word, Neji turned and began to walk towards the Hyuuga manor. Sasuke bit his lip angrily, _I've got to say something_. As he opened his mouth, Neji stopped and turned his head slightly.

"I don't know what changed your mind, but when you do, I'll be waiting."

The Hyuuga began to walk again, leaving a frustrated Uchiha behind him.

Sasuke slid open the door to the Uchiha family house. It was silent as always and darkened. He removed his shoes and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Lighting a candle, he proceeded to the kitchen to make some dinner. Placing the wok on the fire burning on the stove, Sasuke poured just a touch of rice oil in the pan and began to swirl it around. He was reminded of the lesson last night. Neji's arms around him, the warmth and comfort he felt…. His brain was a foggy mess (with a practical IQ roughly equivalent to a wet cotton ball). _Why did I let Neji go? Why didn't I go after him? Have I lost my mind? Did I forget that fast? What on earth am I thinking? What the hell is wrong with me?_ A sudden whoosh of flame spurting upwards brought Sasuke back to the present. Dropping the pan of flaming rice oil, he formed a quick seal and blew dirt over the flame to smother it. Sighing, he lifted the pan and dumped the dirt outside before drawing water to clean the pan. _I've become like those stupid lovestruck girls. Damn it. I have to go talk to him._ Leaving the pan on the table, Sasuke grabbed his coat and exited the house, slipping into his shoes on the way out. He took a deep breath, _So what do I say? I am afraid of what people will think? Screw that, I don't give a damn what they think. Okay, so I do care what people think. The whole village will be in an uproar if I turn gay. There's a thought, "Neji, I can't be with you because I'm freaked out that the village will label me missing nin for not reviving the Uchiha clan." Right, there's a good line. "Neji, I can't be with you because I need to revive my clan…and you're a guy." What, am I suddenly 12 again?_

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke jerked a bit, looking up a bit unsettled. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he had not seen Hinata standing at the Hyuuga gate. He set his face in a scowl to hide his surprise, _Damn, I'm getting soft._

"Nani?"

She swallowed a little, "D-do you want to see Neji-nii-san?"

Sasuke growled, making her jump a little, "Did he send you out here?"

Hesitating for a moment, she shook her head, "No, I w-was just waiting for Naruto-kun."

He brushed past her, ignoring her startled retreat from his presence. Knocking on the door, he watched as it slid open to reveal Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-san. Are you looking for Neji-nii-san?"

Sasuke tried his best not to growl, "Hai."

"Please wait here…I will get him."

She turned and scurried off, presumably in search of the Hyuuga branch member. Sasuke leaned against the doorpost, trying to figure out why their assumptions that he was looking for Neji irritated him. After all, he'd certainly not be looking for Hinata or Hanabi. _I don't want to be equated with someone. It can't be "Oh, Sasuke. You must be looking for Neji." I won't be linked like that_.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke."

Sasuke lifted his eyes to see Neji standing coolly in the doorway, "Konnichiwa, Neji. We need to talk."

Neji nodded and stepped outside, slipping on a pair of shoes. He and Sasuke started to walk…out, just some place where they could talk. They were silent for a while, Sasuke trying to think of the proper way to open the conversation, and Neji waiting for Sasuke. When they reached the deserted training grounds, Sasuke turned to face Neji.

"Neji, we both know this is not going to work."

Neji stayed silent, watching Sasuke as he took a breath.

"Neji, the village expects me to revive my clan. I am the last Uchiha; it is my duty. I don't have a say in this."

"And if you did…?"

"It's of no use to speculate."

Neji fixed his pale eyes on Sasuke's dark ones, "Sasuke, what is really wrong?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "You don't believe me? Well, that is a good start to a relationship."

"It is. I don't believe you when you lie to me."

"I didn't lie."

"You said you had no say in this."

"What about your precious fate and destiny?"

"My former apathetic foolishness should warn you, not encourage you. Fate and destiny make way for those who make their own. You have no say because you want to have no say. You want to blame it on something above your control. I have seen this before, Sasuke."

Sasuke growled, "Who are you to tell me what I want?"

"One who has been where you stand…and one who loves you."

Sasuke felt at least part of his anger drain, "If you love me, why are you fighting me?"

"We fight for those we love. Sasuke, you are going to have to choose. But whatever you choose, it is your choice, not one forced on you by the village or by me."

Neji's voice was a touch sad for the first time in Sasuke's memory, "Sasuke, just…remember I will always love you. No matter what you choose."

Sasuke felt the stab of pain through his heart. Neji truly cared for him; he cared so much he was willing to give him up to make him happy. Sasuke moved closer to the Hyuuga and slid his arms around his waist.

Leaning his head on Neji's shoulder, Sasuke whispered, "Arigato, Neji-kun."

Neji encircled the younger boy with his arms and held him close. The two boys stayed motionless there for several moments. For just a short while, they rested with each other. All too soon, Neji released his hold on Sasuke and stepped out of the boy's embrace. Lifting a hand, the Hyuuga ran it down Sasuke's jawline before using his fingers to pull his chin forward for a kiss. It was soft and gentle, one of reassurance rather than desire. Neji released Sasuke's lips slowly.

Neji brushed his lips over Sasuke's cheek, "Remember I love you…no matter what."

As the Hyuuga turned toward Konoha and began to walk, his single, whispered word floated back to Sasuke's ears.

"Choose."

* * *

**I was trying to pull off inner conflict of duty vs. love. I don't know how well I did that. Hopefully, you guys liked the old chapter 9 or the old/new chapter 10(which is now this chapter). This is pretty much identical, with a new introduction. See you all when I get back! (That's July 2, by the way!) Sayounara!**


	12. Day of Decisions

**Wow, it's been…forever. I won't bore you all with the details of my extraordinarily busy summer. It was…painfully busy. But now I have returned and shall attempt to continue this story. NO! I am not discontinuing it, and there is nothing you can say that will make me. -nod emphatically- Wow, over 100 reviews. Arigato gozaimasu. Okay, reviewer comments…**

**Kawaii kitsune-kun: **:gets shaken completely up: Uh…well, you'll just have to wait and see. And um, no, you can't marry me, sorry. I'm…interested in someone. :mutters: Danged star-crossed curse…  
**Kurosaisei: **Hmm, that's very interesting. I'd never heard of the Sharingan being matrilineal. Then…it still works. I'll just weave a bit more into it. Thank for the tolerance of the fluffiness. I usually dislike it too, but for some reason this came out as rather sappy. Oh well…  
**Frontier of Darkness**: Yes, the dynamics are much different, because this chapter signifies the end of "oh, we're in love" fluff-and-roses. Now life kicks in.  
**Bitenshi**: You're welcome.  
**Kazoua: **Hmm, thanks, I guess. Not everyday you get complimented for being corny. Danged corn factor.  
**Prosopopeia: **Haha, yes, Jounin trials will be much fun. But a few things have to happen first.  
**Mercury Chaos**: Arigato gozaimasu.  
**Kurosaki Aniko: **Thanks…I think. Turn off the missiles; I'm here now.

**Alright, ladies and gentlemen, I now continue this great saga. I really hope these two months of absence haven't completely destroyed my story, but we'll see.**

* * *

Chapter 12- "Day of Decisions" 

Sasuke leaned back against the tree trunk, letting his foot hang off the branch he was seated on. The sun had just lifted over the horizon, casting a warm glow over Konoha. He let out a frustrated breath and looked over the sleepy village. It was only last night that Neji had told him to choose between the village and him. Sasuke had spent most of the night sitting in this very tree. Life was complicated. He didn't want to lose the respect of the village by forsaking his duty. He didn't want to lose the one he finally loved. He didn't want either at the expense of the other.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-teme!"

Sasuke turned his head slightly to see Naruto bound up the path, "Ohayo, dobe."

Naruto stopped, looking curiously at Sasuke, "Eh, what's up with you?"

"Nothing."

Naruto took a chakra-aided leap onto the branch above Sasuke. He hooked his legs around the branch and hung upside-down in front of Sasuke.

"You don't look like nothing," he grinned, squinting his eyes for emphasis.

Sasuke fixed him with a placid look, "You do."

Naruto stuck his tongue out, "Baka!"

Sasuke poked him in the forehead, pushing him off balance and making him plummet to the ground. Naruto sat up, rubbing his shoulder.

"Ow! That hurt, Sasuke-teme. Come down and fight like a real man. Stop hiding up in that tree! Just cause I'll kick your butt is no reason you should be afraid like that."

"Dobe," was all that came out of Sasuke's mouth.

Naruto stopped rubbing his shoulder and stared up at the tree. Something was definitely wrong with Sasuke. Naruto couldn't call him 1) less than a man, 2) a hiding coward, 3) a weakling, and 4) a fearful loser without Sasuke coming down to try to take him on. It just wasn't natural. Naruto 'humphed' to himself and jumped back into the tree.

"C'mon, Sasuke. Tell me what's wrong," he pleaded, putting just enough puppy eyes and serious tone in it to make any sane person spill all his guts to him.

Sasuke just watched.

Naruto stuck out his lip, "Well, if you want to be miserable and lonely forever, then fine with me."

He turned to leave before it hit him, "Ano sa, ano sa…does this have to do with Neji-sempai?"

The freezing look Sasuke shot him was answer enough.

Naruto seated himself heavily back on the branch, "Oh…"

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, "That's it? Just 'oh'?"

Naruto shot back defensively, "Well, what else am I supposed to say?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"You gonna tell me what's up?" Naruto said hopefully.

At Sasuke's silence, he just sighed, "Didn't think so."

Silence reigned supreme for a moment or two, punctuated only by Naruto's fidgeting and general restlessness. Sasuke was staring off into the distance, caught up in his own thoughts. Naruto shifted around a little more before going completely still. Had Sasuke been watching, he would have seen Naruto's eyes brighten considerably.

"I gotta go, Sasuke-teme. Don't worry; I'll beat you next time."

What should have gotten a thorough pounding from Sasuke merited only a distracted wave of his hand. Naruto gathered chakra and blasted off at high speeds. Sasuke still leaned back against the rough tree trunk.

_I don't know what to think. I've never been truly happy with my life; I've lost everything I've ever wanted. But now…I have the chance to be happy with someone I love. Yes, I think I am really in love with Neji. But for years the only thing sustaining me has been the death of my brother and the restoration of my clan. One is taken care of; the other…can I truly give it up? It's all I've lived and worked for. Can I replace it so easily?_

"Yo…"

Had Sasuke been anything less than jounin-to-be material, he would have jumped clear of the tree. As it was, he only bumped his head slightly on the branch.

"Kakashi-sensei, ohayo gozaimasu."

The jounin waved a hand, "Yeah, ohayo. Now, what's the matter with you?"

Sasuke looked blank.

Kakashi scratched his head in a bored motion, "Naruto came flying up to me, practically in a panic, yelling his head off that you needed me. So…seeing that you're not being attacked by reborn Akatsuki or demons, what exactly is the crisis?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, _I am going to kill Naruto_.

"Neji?" Kakashi said, without much doubt in his voice.

Sasuke gritted his teeth but nodded once anyway.

The silver-haired man nodded slowly, "Ah, I see. Did you two have a fight?"

Sasuke shook his head, "Not exactly."

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow, "Did he try to make you do something you didn't want to?"

Try as he might, Sasuke couldn't keep the blush from tinting his pale skin, "No, not at all."

Kakashi sighed, "Anytime you'd like to pitch in, feel free."

Sasuke looked away and said, almost inaudibly, "I don't know what to do."

"You don't know if liking Neji is what you want?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke nodded.

Kakashi let out a prolonged breath, before disappearing and reappearing next to Sasuke on the branch, "So. You're afraid of what people will say?"

"No," Sasuke growled.

"Yes."

"Fine. So I'm worried about my duty and shirking it."

"Duty?"

Sasuke fixed him with a burning stare.

"Ah, yes, your clan's resurrection."

Sasuke looked away.

Kakashi took another breath, "So. You're caught between your love and your duty. What a situation."

Sasuke glared at him, "That's it? No story with a moral about some ancient truth that will radically change the way I live my life?"

Kakashi shook his head, "Nope, I don't have one."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, planting his chin firmly on his palm.

"But I do have a few questions."

"What?"

"How do you feel about Neji?"

Sasuke used yet another glare; at this rate, he'd run out of venom. Kakashi just looked back at him blandly.

Sasuke sighed, "Fine. I love him, alright? He makes me happy. Being with him is better than anything I've ever known. Does that answer your question?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I should think it would answer yours."

While Sasuke gaped at him in pure shock (mixed with the last vestiges of venom), Kakashi stood and vanished in a puff of smoke. Sasuke glared at the location the jounin had last occupied. _Damn him and his tricks._ Sasuke breathed out again, looking across the horizon one last time before he jumped down to head for his home.

* * *

As Sasuke walked home, he passed through the center of town. Of course, girls waved and shouted his name in greeting. He ignored them for the most part, waving to the most insistent ones so they'd faint and leave him alone. He strolled along, buried in his thoughts, hands in his pockets. When he looked up, he saw three figures coming towards him. _No, not him. Not now, damnit._ Indeed, coming towards him was Lee, Tenten, and Neji, in team uniform, talking as they moved down the street. Sasuke tried to walk as he had done before, without stopping but still at a leisurely pace. If he was lucky, they wouldn't… 

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun!"

…see him. _Damn Lee's sharp eyes_, "Ohayo, Lee-san."

Tenten bowed, "Ohayo gozaimasu, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke nodded in greeting.

Neji smirked a little, looking him up and down, "Ohayo…Uchiha."

The knot in Sasuke's throat tightened considerably, _This is what it will be like if I turn him down_, "Ohayo, Hyuuga."

Lee flicked his gaze back and forth between the two geniuses, misinterpreting the tension, "Well, we had best move along. We're on our way to train for the strengthening of our bodies and minds. See you later, Sasuke-kun!"

The other members of Gai's squad nodded and followed after the energetic taijutsu practitioner. Sasuke stared after them, jerking only when Neji turned his head slightly. The brief look told Sasuke that Neji was sorry for having to address him like that. But sorry or no, it would be the tone of the interchanges should Sasuke choose to give up his relationship with Neji. Only then, Neji would actually _be_ cold to Sasuke. The Uchiha couldn't banish the cold pang that had penetrated his heart at Neji's formality. It seemed to linger, taunting him. He swallowed the knot, or at least attempted to, and turned towards his home. He had to choose soon.

* * *

Back at the Uchiha manor, Sasuke paced restlessly. He knew he should do something to burn the energy he was accumulating. The tension was starting to get to him. He'd train. That's what he'd do. 

As he came down the stairs, buckling on his holsters and scrolls, he heard a sound in the front yard. He slid the door open to see Naruto on the ground, apparently just sitting.

"Oi, dobe. What are you doing here?"

Naruto jumped up, "There you are. If you hadn't come out soon, I was about to go in after. Don't want you doing anything drastic."

Sasuke growled, "What are you talking about?"

Naruto ignored the warning signs, "Well, what with the break-up between you and—mmph!"

Sasuke had lunged across the courtyard, covering Naruto's mouth in one smooth motion, "Dobe! Don't advertise it. And we're not breaking up. We're just…taking some time off."

He winced at the utter insipidness of that phrase. It was…disgusting. Naruto mumbled against Sasuke's hand. The Uchiha removed it warily.

"Fine. But still…I'm not leaving you alone."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Dobe. Fine, I'm going to train. Come or don't."

Naruto nodded and fell into step with Sasuke as the dark-haired boy started to walk. They continued to the training ground in silence.

"Hey, Sasuke?"

Sasuke grunted.

Taking that as an affirmative, Naruto continued, "What's it like…being in love?"

Sasuke shot a look at Naruto, but the blond seemed to be genuinely interested. The Uchiha shrugged.

"I don't know. It's…like wanting to be around someone all the time. Maybe more like needing to be around him all the time. You think about him a lot, and you are always trying to wait until you can next see him."

"Or her," Naruto said, with a grin. "You're the gay one, not me."

Sasuke glared at him, until Naruto's grin and stuck-out tongue showed he was just teasing.

"Usuratonkachi ga," Sasuke muttered to himself.

"Hey!"

They lapsed back into silence. For some reason, Sasuke felt better. _Maybe the dobe is helping…that'd be a first._

"So, Sasuke…still don't want to tell me what's wrong?"

…_or not._ Sasuke swung a fist at Naruto's head. The blond flipped out of the way, glaring.

"I just asked a question, damnit. You don't have to go all psycho-killer on me."

Sasuke grinned, "You said you wanted to help me train."

Naruto grinned. The two boys leapt at each other with drawn kunai.

* * *

The two boys lay panting on the ground. Kunai, shuriken, and scorch marks surrounded both as they lay, sucking in deep breaths of air. Out of the battle, there was no clear winner, since both appeared equally bruised, battered, and bloodied. The sun was going down, and the lengthened shadows started to creep over their prostrate bodies. 

Naruto pulled himself painfully up, "I've got to get home. Hinata is coming over, and I want to clean up a bit."

Sasuke smirked at him. Naruto glared back.

"Unless, of course," Naruto began, sweetly, "you'd rather we both came to your house so you won't be alone, Sasuke-teme."

The Uchiha's answer came in the form of a flying kunai. Naruto dodged, stuck his tongue out (again), and shot off, yelling a goodbye over his shoulder. Sasuke plopped his head back on the soft ground.

_I don't have to go home yet…there's no one there. It's been hours since I last thought of Neji. Damnit, and here I just broke that streak. What am I going to do?_

He just lay there, scraping his mind clean of all the possible choices and consequences before him. Finally, his own voice came back to him, _Fine. I love him, alright? He makes me happy. Being with him is better than anything I've ever known. Does that answer your question, _followed by Kakashi's _I should think it would answer yours._ He closed his eyes.

_It does answer my question. I just…wish it wasn't so hard. But I can't give up what matters most to me. That's really what it comes down to, isn't it? What matters most to me? Neji or my clan? Or the village's approval? Could I be happy with Neji if I was ostracized from the village? Could I be happy with a wife and a clan if I rejected Neji? What matters most to me?_

He pulled himself up, staring across the horizon. _I don't know what matters most. Is it Neji's love? Am I just so starved for anyone's affection that I will give up my dreams, my ambitions, my goals, just to get it? Do I just have a crush?_

He shakily stood, slowly putting pressure on his aching muscles as he started to walk home. _I can't imagine life going on, seeing Neji on the street, but not being able to talk to him. Seeing him in training, seeing him on missions, meeting him at parties…I couldn't do it if I turned him down. We'd be forever separated…by my choice. He'd hate me. He'd never speak to me again. We go on without each other forever. He'd marry someone else, or at least start going out with someone else._ For obvious reasons, that last part hurt more than anything. _I can't bear to see him with anyone else._

He looked up to find himself standing before the gate of the Uchiha manor. _If I stayed with Neji, not only would we be ostracized, this house would stay empty. There would be no Uchiha clan heirs, no Uchiha family…ever. My father's line would die with me, prevented from ever continuing. It would be gone, as if it had never existed. My family, my house, my honor would vanish…all with one simple choice._

He removed his shoes and entered the house, climbing the stairs straight to his bedroom. He slid the door open. Crawling onto his bed, still fully dressed, he pulled the covers over his body. Curling up with his knees to his chest, he shut his eyes tightly and tried to keep from crying.

* * *

**Okay, everyone. Thus concludes…ha, you thought I was gonna end the story here, didn't ya? Admit it. Anyway, thus concludes my official "I'm back" chapter. You may now rejoice. In this chapter, I was really trying to keep the reality of life (shown by the fact that he still had to practice and interact with people) while still maintaining the tug-of-war in his heart. I really hate it when fics randomly allow main characters to stop time just so they have a huge angsting session. I tried to keep up the angsting while making him go through daily life. Tell me if I succeeded or failed in your opinion. Again, it's great to be back, ne? -koff- That means I want lots of "Welcome Back!" in my reviews.**


	13. Star Crossed Twilight

**Gomen nasai, minna-san. I'm here now. Meh, my life is so freakin' busy. –shrug- Not only have the last two months been pure and utter hell, but this has been one of the hardest chapters to write ever. I've written this stinking thing about seven times. And I'm still not perfectly happy. Oh well. Here are some reviewer shoutouts:**

**To all reviewers: **Domo arigato to all of you. The story has almost 130 reviews in 12 chapters. Wow. Thank you all very much. My apologies, but because I have a lot of reviewers now, I'm only going to answer the ones that require answers. Sumimasen. If you want a shoutout, say something in your review that I have to answer. How's that for motivation?  
**Kawaii kitsune-kun: **My most avid reviewer always gets a review. Don't worry…all will be well. Now, it's just up to you to decide what I think "well" means. –is very evil tonight-  
**c-tesshin**: Well, the story is primarily NejiSasu…you've seen hints of NaruHina (the first and last time you'll see them in a fic of mine, most likely). I won't extensively cover other pairings here, but I will in other fics.  
**Sylver rain: **First reviewer always gets a shoutout. –grin- Anyway, glad you enjoyed them. Yeah, I figured out the end of the Uchiha line a while back. It really bugs me, but you can't argue with genetics.  
**Kaze of the Sand: **Wow, yes, that was a few thousand years ago. I'm glad you were able to read this as a fic, and not define it by its pairing. That was my goal for my stories: I usually call my fics shounen-ai, because yaoi is a slang term that is basically a plot only so two hot boys can make out. While that's nice (I enjoy a good yaoi for entertainment), I set out to write shounen-ai: a well-written, engaging love story in which both lovers happen to be boys.

**Well, I've got another chapter for you all. I started some college classes. Meh. Anyway, it's taken up a bit of my time. Although for some reason, I wrote more in school than I did in summer. Oh well, I'll keep working at it. I want this story to finish well. Besides, I want to get on to my AU NejiSasu. I must resist starting that until this is done. Anyway, here is a major plot chapter…this is _not_ filler. Heheh, you know you're all drooling with curiosity now. We'll just say the subtitle of this chapter is "In Which Sasuke Makes a Choice."**

* * *

Chapter 13- "Star-Crossed Twilight" 

The morning light filtered through Sasuke's thin, rice paper shades, casting abstract shadows across the floor. One particular shadow blurred and shifted with the sunrise, stretching longer and longer until it crept up Sasuke's sleeping face, inserting its tendrils beneath his eyelashes. The Uchiha groaned, his eyes forced to open blearily. He blinked away the night's haze from his dark eyes. He started to sit up and found he couldn't. Still fogged from sleep, he tried again. There was still no movement from his body. Trying to force his thoughts into line, he looked down at his figure. Heavy sections of cloth, sheets and blankets alike, were twisted around his body, practically immobilizing it. He sighed and started to twist in the opposite direction to free himself. _I must have rolled about in my sleep; the sheets are tightly wound around me._ After some serious disentangling efforts, Sasuke was able to sit up fully. He brushed his ebony locks from his eyes, feeling dried salt crusting his eyelashes. He flicked it away, trying to forget exactly how it got there.

His floor creaked as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He slid the door open, leaving it so as he descended the stairs slowly. His motions were labored and leaden, like he had to consciously remember which muscle moved what part of his anatomy. The brisk air met his face, significantly reducing his fatigue, as he slid the front door open. Slipping his feet into sandals, he thumped down the steps to the well. He grasped the wooden handle of the crack, feeling the smooth grain against his palm. With a supreme effort of will, he turned it until the bucket appeared. Sasuke poured the water into the porcelain bowl, splashing some onto his face. Taking a bit of sand, he scrubbed at his face. When he felt he had sufficiently removed all trace of dirt and grime, he lowered the bucket back into the well and poured the bowl out on the ground.

As he turned to re-enter the house, his hand lifted to slide the door back open.

"_Konnichiwa, Sasuke," said the smooth Hyuuga voice._

_Sasuke battled the rising heat he felt, "What do you want?"_

"_To talk."_

"_About what?"_

"_This morning. I was surprised you didn't see me coming. But once you retaliated, I thought we'd stay on the ground forever," the white eyes had a hint of amusement in them._

_Sasuke made as if to move past him towards the house. Neji sidestepped so that Sasuke's shoulder ran into his own. His arm moved out to the doorpost, keeping Sasuke from entering._

"_So, why did you end it so quickly?" Neji whispered._

_Sasuke froze. He was so close he could feel the Hyuuga's breath right beneath his ear. It was clogging his mind and preventing him from speaking. _What's going on? Is Neji…hitting on me?

"_I think you were enjoying it too much to continue it," Neji whispered, his breath getting closer._

_Sasuke felt the faintest feather-touch of lips on his jawline, before the Hyuuga chuckled beneath his breath._

"_See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun."_

Sasuke's hand fell helplessly back to his side. It seemed like years ago Neji had stood here, making the first advances on him. Sasuke felt what could have been a smile tug at his lips; he had so hated Neji for tormenting him like that. Now all he wanted was for Neji to be back here, making those same advances.

He shook his head firmly, _No, that's not all you want. You want a clan, a family, a legacy. You want your father's house restored, you want a wife, you want a child._

He slid the door open forcefully, hearing the wood slam into the doorpost. He removed his sandals and stepped inside. Sliding the door closed, Sasuke took a deep breath and headed for the stairs. _I must make a decision. Today. It has to be today. Right. Today._

* * *

The streets of Konoha were bustling as usual, as Sasuke walked down the street towards the ninja section of town. His hands were stuffed in his pockets (also as usual), and his shoulders were almost slumped. Almost. After all, Sasuke never slumped. 

"Sasuke-kuuuun!"

Stiffening suddenly, Sasuke only relaxed when he recognized it was Sakura's voice that had called him. Several girls had taken to hiding in the oddest places only to spring out and tackle him when he wasn't looking. He was almost tempted to use the Sharingan to avoid them. Almost. By now, Sakura had caught up with him and was walking alongside him.

"Ohayo, Sakura," Sasuke muttered out of politeness.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun. Do you know what day this is?"

Sasuke blinked, _Today? May 27th. Not her birthday. Or anyone else's I know for that matter. Why is today important?_ He grunted a negative.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoulders droop a bit, "Naruto didn't remember either. It's our five-year anniversary!"

The Uchiha stopped walking instantly, shooting Sakura a witheringly piercing look. She shook her hands rapidly between Sasuke and her.

"No, no. Not _our _five-year anniversary. I mean, it's been five years since we graduated the ninja academy and became real ninja."

An involuntary breath of relief almost escaped Sasuke's mouth. He had had a moment of panic that Sakura's days of obsessing over him had returned. He shrugged and started walking again. Sakura's energy and happiness seemed to go out of her.

"Don't you think today is kind of important?" she asked, a tinge of hope in her voice.

Relenting a bit, Sasuke grunted, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Sakura instantly straightened, clapping her hands together, "So you wouldn't mind if we had a big party tonight?"

Sasuke's steps froze again, as he blinked impassively at Sakura, "A party?"

She nodded excitedly.

"I hate parties."

It was as if Sakura was a balloon and someone united the knot at her feet. All of her energy and joy just melted out of her, leaving her deflated.

"You…you do? Oh…well…I guess…we don't have to have a party."

Seeing her so crestfallen, Sasuke muttered, "I suppose I could live through one night."

A squeal erupted from the kunoichi as she threw her arms around Sasuke and hugged him tight. Sasuke stiffened, surprised, and didn't have a chance to move until she pulled away and hopped up and down like a child at her first New Years' celebration.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu, Sasuke-kun. You'll have fun, I promise. It'll be at the southwest hall of the ninja academy at sunset. Can you come an hour early to make sure you like the decorations and everything? Please, promise you'll come!"

He waved a hand, trying to calm her down, "Hai, hai. I'll come."

She squealed again before turning and flying off, yelling over her shoulder, "Arigato, Sasuke-kun!"

He shook his head, almost amused before he saw that all motion on the street had stopped. All eyes were boring into him, especially the girls, since Sakura had hugged him. With one of his infamous glares, Sasuke soon set the street in motion again. He sighed briefly, shaking his head and continuing on towards the training ground.

* * *

Training that day was boring. Sakura had been excused from team practice by Kakashi and from private lessons with Tsunade to work on the party that night. Naruto was hyperactive as always, always talking about the party, who'd be there, what they'd do, and all the things that had happened since they graduated to genin. Sasuke entered the conversation only long enough to first, point out that Naruto hadn't graduated with them (sparking a furious "training" session), and second, to glare at Naruto heavily when the blond mentioned Orochimaru, Itachi, and the Sound. Naruto skipped over that portion of history a little faster than he had planned to. 

During a lull in training, Sasuke wandered over to the shade of a tree, sitting down and drawing out a canteen of water. Naruto soon appeared next to him, flopping down.

"Sasuke-teme, you haven't said anything about the party tonight? Aren't you excited?"

The look the blond received was completely bland, "Thrilled."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Stop being such a grouch, teme. Come on, it can't be that bad. After all, Neji will be there."

The canteen froze halfway to Sasuke's mouth. _Neji? Oh, shit._ He forced his hand to continue moving and soon felt the cool water slide down his suddenly sandblasted throat. Naruto, of course, had seen the motion.

"What's wrong with you? I thought Neji would cheer you up. Are you still 'on break' or whatever the hell you called it?"

Sasuke shrugged noncommittally, laying aside the canteen and leaning back against the tree. Naruto looked peeved by his refusal to say anything.

"Come on, I'm the first one you told about Neji. You can't leave me hanging here. Stop being so damn self-centered!"

Sasuke lifted his head, "We didn't tell you; you walked in on us."

"That makes no difference, teme. I have a right, both as your friend and Neji's, to know what's going on."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "If I tell you, will you shut up about it?"

"Of course not."

There was a brief bit of silence, as Sasuke closed his eyes and ignored the blond. He could feel the rage and frustration slowly increase in waves rolling off Naruto. He stifled his smile. Suddenly, it was still. Too still. Sasuke cracked his eye just a bit…

…to see Naruto's face planted less than a centimeter away. Sasuke jerked back against the tree, slamming his head. He glared at Naruto while rubbing the growing bump on his head.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "I'm not moving until you tell me."

Another growl, "Fine. Yes, we're still on break. No, I don't want to see him tonight."

Naruto nodded, pulling away and going back to his seat, "Well, you can't not come now. Sakura was so excited that you were coming."

Sasuke waved a hand in a slightly depressed way, "Hai, hai. I know."

There was a brief moment of silence before, "So…why don't you want to see Neji, huh? Don't you like him anymore? Huh?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You'll never stop now, will you?"

Naruto shook his head happily, "Never. Only for lunch breaks and dates with Hinata."

With a slight sigh, Sasuke stopped resisting, "It's…complicated."

"…what's complicated? I have to eat, and I'm certainly not dumping Hinata just to hear you emote."

A vein pulsed on Sasuke's forehead, and he brought a crashing fist down on Naruto's head, "_Neji and I_ are complicated, dobe!"

Naruto rubbed his head, "…ow. DON'T CALL ME DOBE, TEME!"

"Fine. But listen this time."

"Hn."

"Do you remember our first team meeting? When Kakashi made us say what we liked, what we hated, and what our goals were?"

"Yeah. Heheh, I hated you for your oh-so-superior answers then."

"They _were_ superior answers, dobe."

"Teme. Anyway…"

"Right. Do you remember what my goal was?"

"To kill Itachi."

"And…?"

"…and…"

Sasuke shot him a flat, superior look. Naruto scratched his head.

"OH! Your clan's revival."

Sasuke nodded, "Hn."

"…so, what's that got to do with anything?"

Another vein joined in the pulsing, "I can't be with Neji and revive my clan, dobe."

"DON'T CALL ME DOBE. …why not?"

The look this time was sheer pity for the blond's stupidity. It finally dawned on Naruto.

"OH! Because he's a guy!"

Sasuke sighed in relief and nodded, "Hn."

"…oh. Right."

Sasuke sighed, "Hai."

They lapsed into silence, ignoring the sounds of the forest around them. Neither one said anything else. Apparently, neither had anything to say.

* * *

Sasuke was trudging along the streets toward the ninja academy. Trudging was really the only word for it, considering his attitude and general posture. His shoulders were stiff, his hands were in his pockets, and each step seemed like it took a degree of willpower to pull off. It probably did. He was dressed formally, in a deep blue shirt with a goldthread uchiwa on the back. His pants were pants this time, long and black. He had taken the time to clean up after practice, and he looked ready for the party. Inside, however, he was dreading each passing second. 

_I hate parties. And now my possibly-soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend will be there as well. This is just wonderful. I hate parties. And now my possibly-soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend will be there as well. This is just…_

"Sasuke-kuuun!"

He raised his head to see Sakura waiting for him on the corner. She had a strip of cloth in her hand, which she was waving frantically. He raised a lazy hand in acknowledgement, crossing the street and coming near her. Before he had a chance to speak, she had grabbed his arm and was dragging him with her.

"Okay, Sasuke-kun, we have a lot to do and only an hour before the party starts. First of all, I need your opinion on these streamers. Are they the right color? I mean, I know you might not like them, which is fine. But do you think you can live with them for just one night? After all, there's really nothing wrong with pink…"

And it continued from there. By the time Sakura had finished lecturing him on the different foods being served, Sasuke's head was spinning. She asked his opinion on everything she could. Naruto was lounging in the back of the room, nibbling on a small bowl of ramen. When asked why he wasn't being dragged around, Sakura replied he and Hinata had been here with her since lunch and had contributed to most of the set-up. Sasuke resisted the urge to bolt.

* * *

It was finally over ten minutes before the party was scheduled to start. Sasuke allowed his weakened legs to collapse, sending him flopping into a seat. Sakura stood over him tapping her foot impatiently. 

"It's not like you worked hard at all. You just had to say 'yes' or 'no' to what we've done. You've no call to be so tired."

Sasuke stared up at her with a bland look, "You don't consider fifty minutes of being dragged around like a sack of flour enough to make a person tired?"

She opened her mouth for a retort when the door slid open, as Kiba and Shino walked in. Instantly, Sakura's face transformed to pure smiles, as she scurried over. Bowing before them, she uttered a formal welcome and some thanks for their presence. They returned the bow, expressing gratitude for being invited. As soon as the formalities were over, Kiba bolted straight for the food at the other end of the hall. Shino strolled casually over, following him slowly. Sasuke raised a hand in lazy greeting to both. They returned the gesture with similar energy. Hinata stopped talking to Naruto and hurried over to the table to greet her two teammates. Sasuke yawned; this party was exciting beyond belief.

Within the next several minutes, the door slid open repeatedly, admitting several more ninja. Of course, Ino arrived with Shikamaru, in his jounin vest, and Chouji. The latter went straight for the food buffet as expected, while the former looked bored as always and sat himself down next to Naruto. The blonde latched onto Sakura, and the two began alternately greeting the newcomers and chattering excited about the last five years of ninjahood. Sasuke stood and bowed to the instructors that entered, but he only offered slight waves to his fellow graduates.

It was at this moment that Gai chose to make his appearance. The flashy jounin appeared in the room with a flash-bang (reminiscent of Kakashi, perhaps?).

"So! My Illustrious Rival! We meet again on the anniversary of your cherished pupils' graduation. Out of respect for them, I shall not challenge you and embarrass you before their youthful eyes!"

Kakashi blinked a bit, turning from his conversation with Kurenai to comment blandly, "Oy, Gai…did you say something?"

Gai burned with passion, "OH! That was very suave of you, Kakashi! You showed your true savvy nature!"

Lee appeared in another flash-bang next to his sensei. In his hands was a bouquet of red roses.

"For the graceful, elegant, and ravishing hostess," he announced, handing them to Sakura with a flourish.

The door slid open, and Neji and Tenten entered the room. The two looked unaffected by their teammates' actions, entering the room with quiet steps and only a murmured greeting to Sakura and the gathered group. Sasuke's throat went dry. He had praying whatever kami loved him to prevent Neji from coming tonight. And now that the Hyuuga was here…it was even worse than he thought. Not only was the white-eyed not looking at him at all, but Tenten was also practically dragging him with her as she wandered around speaking with people. Sasuke felt a cold rage in the pit of his stomach, as all his eyes could see was her gloved hand gripping the white of Neji's sleeve. _Black on white…white under black…_

Sasuke shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He stood up abruptly, edging his way through the crowd of well-wishers outside. He slid the door shut behind him and breathed in deep breaths of cool night air. _Take it slowly, Uchiha. You must get a grip on yourself. Go back inside and have a good time. Or whatever you were having **before** he arrived._

He took another breath and stepped back inside to the party. For the most part, people were merely walking around and talking with the background music playing softly. Sakura had gone through great trouble to get Tsunade to allow her to use the village's only speaker system with Tsunade's collection of music from the big city. It was only because of the pink-haired kunoichi's apprenticeship to the Hokage that it was allowed. Now, the speakers were the cause of much interest and more than a little confusion. After all, what did one do with music playing in the background from little black boxes?

Leave it to Naruto to think of something.

"MINNA-SAN!" he thundered, standing on a chair and waving his arms.

The crowd's low hum died off as everyone turned to see the hyperactive blond perched precariously on a chair with Hinata standing below him. She looked torn between fear for him and apprehension about his next words. Had Sasuke known what they were, he would have been slightly unnerved as well.

"EVERYONE! Sakura went through a lot of trouble to borrow these speakers. I think it's only fair we use them!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to figure out what exactly the blond had planned. Shikamaru, ever the genius, was heard to mutter "troublesome" right before the blond continued.

"We need to dance!"

There was a sharp intake of breath, mostly from the boys in the party. The girls gasped as well, but that was followed shortly by a squeal that rivaled the feedback the speakers were currently producing. Naruto hopped off his chair and walked over to the speakers, pulling out a disc and inserting another one.

A fast-paced dance rhythm started to pound throughout the room…and through Sasuke's head. The Uchiha half-closed his eyes, imagining several ways of killing the blond and simultaneously destroying the speaker system. He opened them again to see Hinata standing before him, practically cowering. He raised an eyebrow and stared at her levelly.

"Uh…excuse me, Sasuke-kun, but Naruto-kun asked me to bring you out to the dance floor."

Sasuke's eye began to twitch slightly, "He did what?"

Hinata was virtually shaking.

Sasuke sighed, "Fine. I can hit him myself."

As he stood, he followed Hinata out to the dance floor, where Naruto had organized the teenage ninja into a circle. Sasuke pushed his way in, trying to find the blond to chew his ear off for involving him in this insanity. As his gaze flickered around the jumping circle, he spotted a flash of spiky blond hair. He edged his way forward, ready to bolt across the hole in the center, when he saw what (or _who_, rather) Naruto was dragging. It was Neji. A pure electric shock ran up his spine at the sight of the quiet Hyuuga who was allowing himself to be pulled into the bouncing mass of teenage adrenaline. In that brief moment of shock, the dance music charged to blaring mix of pop and techno sound effects. The crowd closed in around Sasuke, and he was trapped.

_Damn. It._

As soon as the beat changed, Naruto had dropped Neji's arm and catapulted into the center of the circle. With a few poses and flashy smiles, he began to dance to the music, swaying back and forth to beat, throwing in some flashy spins and twists to spice things up. People were calling and cheering; Sasuke felt like killing something. Naruto flashed another bright grin and held his arms out, motioning for Hinata to join him in the circle. She was blushing furiously and shaking her head no, but Ino gave her a gentle shove from behind, sending the pale-eyed girl directly into the circle. Naruto grabbed her arms to keep her from leaving and started to show her how to dance. The crowd, particularly Kiba and Sakura, kept calling out encouragement to her, and soon the Hyuuga girl was dancing away with Naruto in the middle. The blond was grinning and cheering her on, as they danced side-by-side, arms locked. Sasuke, as disturbed as he was by the atmosphere, couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Naruto could dance with the one he loved; Sasuke didn't have that luxury.

The dance beat changed again, and Naruto hopped out, pulling a surprisingly reluctant Hinata with him. With one smooth motion, the blond shoved Kiba into the center ring. The boy looked shocked for only a second, before a devilish grin came on his face, and he dropped to the ground. Before anyone had a chance to react, the ninja started to spin like a top on the floor, sending his body into spasms and convulsions that made it walk across the floor. He spun onto his shoulder, holding his body upright for a time. People were cheering frantically, yelling for more from him. Kiba went up on one hand, spinning rapidly, going from spinning on his palm to spinning on his elbow to back to his palm. The speed and grace of his movements had even Sasuke bouncing his head with the beat.

_Perhaps this isn't so bad_, he thought to himself as he watched Kiba spin. _Taking a break from life isn't all that rough._

He found himself starting to smile and applaud whenever Kiba did something spectacular. It was at this unfortunate moment that the music changed again. Sasuke looked around for who would be the next participant in the center ring. He spotted Naruto's blond hair in a flash before it disappeared…

…and Neji stumbled into the center ring. The entire crowd raised a yell that could have lifted off the roof. Had it not been for that, Naruto would have died from a severe Hyuuga-pounding. As it was, he should have been melting from the heat in the Hyuuga's white-hot gaze. Sasuke felt a tiny smile quirk his lips as he saw the other boy out there. That would be unbearable to…

_UMPH!_

…be pushed out into the center. Sasuke shot a look over his shoulder. Sakura and Ino were convulsing in laughter on the inner track of the circle, giggling hysterically at seeing both Neji and Sasuke in the center. Sasuke flamed almost bright red, trying to look anywhere but at Neji. He sure as hell was not going to dance here at all…much less with the Hyuuga right there. He turned around to leave, but the circle closed. No one planned to let him out. It was then his senses tingled. He threw his head far to the right, avoiding the fist that came out of nowhere. He spun to see Neji pull his arm back and raise his eyebrows.

_What the hell are you doing!_ Sasuke's eyes clearly demanded.

In response, Neji's eyes went flaming white with the Byakugan. Sasuke looked confused for only a moment, before he understood. Neji shifted into the Jyuken stance before him, a smile quirking at his lips.

"Dance with me, Sasuke," he whispered.

Sasuke's eyes flared with the Sharingan, and he launched a powerful kick at Neji. The two shinobi began a fast-paced dance around and towards each other. Each move was calculated not to damage but to match the rhythm of the music. Sasuke kept his movements controlled.

_We learned the rhythm of fighting in training. This is simply fighting to the rhythm of the music. Dodge, sweep, punch, spin, drop, lift, kick._

The "dance" was ornate and elegant, fast-paced and highly engaging to watch. The whole crowd of shinobi was yelling their lungs out, watching the two prodigies of Konoha engaged in a choreographed fight to the steady beat of techno-pop. Neji would rotate Sasuke's movement away from his torso, creating the rapid techno shifts of the dance. Sasuke would send rapid, straight punches and kicks at Neji, accentuating the steady, pulsing beats of the music. Both shinobi were intent; sweat dripped from their foreheads as they expended all their power just to keep the pace going for the length of one song. As the song neared a conclusion, Sasuke threw a straight punch at Neji's head. Instead of rotating this one away, Neji simply moved his head, allowing the punch to flying past him. The Hyuuga's arm came up and placed the punching arm in a lock. Sasuke used his right to punch. Neji used an inside-to-outside block, pushing the arm outwards and down, trapping it against his waist. Sasuke retaliated by locking Neji's legs with own. Their movements culminated in a stalemate at the exact time the music ceased.

The teenagers around them were silent for a moment, before erupting in violent, thunderous cheers, whistles, and applause. They clapped, stomped their feet, and yelled to show their enthusiasm. While all the commotion surrounded them, Sasuke found it hard to focus on anyone by Neji's face, trapped only two inches from his own. His breathing was hard and fast from the fight, his chest rising and falling quickly. Neji's was as well, and the two pressed up against each other as they held the lock. A single sweatdrop coursed down Sasuke's head, falling across the bridge of his nose, and gathering on the top of his upper lip. He saw Neji's eyes fixed to that drop as if it were a lifeline. With a jolt, Sasuke realized although it seemed like forever since they stopped, their fellow shinobi were still cheering thunderously. If they stayed locked together, someone might notice something. With a supreme effort of will, Sasuke released his grip on Neji. Almost instantly, the Hyuuga responded, releasing both arms from imprisonment.

The two stepped back almost in unison, turning to wipe sweat from their face and step back into the circle of teenagers. Naruto and Kiba jumped over to Sasuke, clapping him on the back and telling him how awesome that was. Sasuke just grunted, pushing his way out and getting a cup of water from the drink table. He noticed Neji was similarly inundated with Lee, Tenten, and Hinata. Their eyes met briefly, but Sasuke looked away almost instantly.

He didn't want to admit to himself how close he had come to kissing Neji right in front of everyone.

* * *

The party ended when the moon was descending from the sky. Shinobi and jounin alike stumbled out of the messy hall, making their way towards their various homes. Sakura was asleep on a chair, her head resting on Lee's shoulder. Hinata took over the role of hostess for her, wishing everyone good night and a safe journey home. Kiba and Shino made their way out the door, after telling Hinata about team practice later that day. Shikamaru muttered about how troublesome it was to carry the sleeping Ino home, but Chouji just munched on leftovers and thanked Hinata for stocking such a delicious table. Gai gently talked Lee into leaving, assuring him that Sakura would be taken care of. Tenten walked out first, trying to fix her hair back into buns as best as possible. Neji paused on the doorstep, thanking Hinata while his eyes were on Sasuke across the room. The Uchiha watched him as well, ignoring Naruto's sleepy babble next to him. With a brief nod, the Hyuuga stepped out of the door and closed it behind him. 

Sasuke turned to see Naruto pick up Sakura, "Oy, dobe. What are you doing?"

Naruto grumbled, "Sasuke-teme. We just talked about it. I said I'd take Sakura home if you stayed and cleaned up the room."

Before Sasuke could protest, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata were out the door, leaving him alone in the room.

"Damn it," he growled out, grabbing a broom and starting to sweep the loose debris into a pile.

Cleanup took a long time, as Sasuke spent time sweeping the floor, clearing off the floor mats of dishes and assorted other things, as well as closing down the speakers. It was a good thirty minutes later when he heard the door slide open again.

"Oy, good, Naruto. Come help with this. It's your party; you should be helping me clean up."

"It's not my party," the smooth, definitely-not-Naruto voice said.

Sasuke turned, broom still in hand, to see Neji standing framed in the flickering light of the candles. He was struck almost speechless, both by shock and by discomfort. He saw Neji shift his eyes up and down. It suddenly struck him how…homey he must look with a broom and dustpan in hand, sweeping up garbage. He dropped the two implements like exploding notes, crossing his arms casually over his chest.

"Did you forget something?" he heard himself ask.

Neji nodded, "You might say that."

Sasuke felt his breath catch as Neji appeared right in front of him. _How did he move so fast?_ The Hyuuga raised a hand and lightly brushed some still sweaty strands of hair off Sasuke's forehead.

"I know you hate compliments," Neji said quietly. "But tonight…you were beautiful."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort about "beautiful" when he found he couldn't speak. Being kissed tended to cut down on your verbal communication skills. He tried to mumble something through Neji's lips, but he gave up halfway through. Why bother? His arms lifted and wrapped around Neji's neck, pulling the taller boy closer. His mind went almost blank, shoving aside everything but the kiss that was going on. He pushed closer to Neji, pressing against him with his whole body. He felt Neji's arms wrap around, pressing into his lower back, forcing him closer. The kiss became more forceful, more passionate as the boys struggled against each other, drinking in each other as if they were the air itself. Sasuke pulled back suddenly, gasping for air, having no time to breathe before pushing himself back onto Neji's lips. This time, Sasuke initiated the kiss and took dominance. He forced Neji's lips apart, running his tongue over them briefly. The Hyuuga pulled Sasuke tighter again.

Some part of Sasuke's brain disengaged for a moment, _No!_

He placed his hands on Neji's chest, pushing forcefully. The power of the push sent both boys backwards, putting a few feet in between them. After the kiss, that few feet seemed like an abyss.

Sasuke shook his head, "No, I can't. Not now. I haven't…I mean, I don't know…"

Neji's face retreated from pain to impassivity, "You haven't…decided yet. I had hoped…the dance tonight…but I was mistaken. Forgive me."

"No!"

The moment of silence stretched into a minute. A thousand thoughts whirled and collided in Sasuke's head, each bouncing off of the others and careening into his skull. He raised his hands, placing them over his ears. His knees collapsed beneath him, and he fell to the ground. Neji was there in a moment, but Sasuke shied away from his touch. The Uchiha shook his head again, trying to get a grip on his mind.

_I have to choose. My family…or my love? I have to choose. Choose. "I want to resurrect my clan." "Neji, I don't hate you." "Resurrect my clan." "Don't hate you." "Resurrect." "Hate you." Choose._

Sasuke closed his eyes tight, _Father…please forgive me._

He pulled his hands away from his ears, and blinked away the stars that sprung from his tightly closed eyes. He placed two hands on Neji's shoulders, pulling himself up and leaned into Neji's embrace. He was almost curled against the Hyuuga's chest, as the other boy encircled him in comforting arms.

"Neji…I…made my choice."

He could feel the stiffening in the other's body, as he tilted back his head and looked up at the pale-white gaze.

"Neji, I…want…I mean. Neji. I choose…"

There was a loud crack, as one of the windows in the room bounced off its framing. A shadow vanished from behind it, disappearing into the darkness.

"Someone was watching!" Neji said urgently.

Sasuke nodded quickly, "We'd better go."

Without another word, he grabbed his jacket and ran out of the door, heading back towards his house. As he ran, his feet pounded a rhythm into his heart. _Coward. You still didn't tell him. Why? Do you regret your choice already?_

He yelled back firmly, "No!"

As he reached his house, he slid open the door, closing it behind him breathlessly. He leaned up against the wood support. His mind traveled back to the deserted hall…to Neji…

"_Neji, I…want…I mean…Neji. I choose…"_

His breath came in one short gasp as he finished his sentence, …_you._

* * *

Sasuke tossed and turned all night, torn by his inability to tell Neji what he had chosen. The night was interminable, stretching longer than any night ever had before. The sun traveled a thousand times slower than usual, taking several centuries to climb above the horizon and signal the beginning of the day. As soon as the rays peaked over the rice-paper window in Sasuke's room, the Uchiha threw off the covers, bolting from the room to the bathroom. He completed his daily ritual faster than he ever had before. Running back to his room, he grabbed a set of training clothes, throwing them on without thinking. He leapt down the stairs, throwing open his door and hurtling across the rooftops towards the Hyuuga manor. 

As he landed in front, he stopped suddenly. The manor should have been awake and bustling by daybreak. It was silent…unnaturally silent. An inexplicable feeling of dread sprouted in Sasuke's stomach as he took leaden steps to the door. It seemed to take an eternity for someone to answer the door. When the door did open, it was no servant but Hinata herself. Her face was pale and drawn. Upon seeing him, she jumped as though shocked by a lightning jutsu. Peering behind her (fearfully?), Hinata hurriedly stepped out, closing the door behind her.

"Please, Sasuke-kun. Go now and don't be seen here."

The dread in Sasuke's stomach exploded, "Why, Hinata-san?"

Hinata shot another look over her shoulder, "One of the servants went to the hall last night to get Neji-nii-san. He…saw you both. He told my father. Please, go immediately."

"No! What did your father say?"

Hinata trembled, "He's speaking with Neji right now. Please, Sasuke-kun…"

"Let me in, Hinata."

The girl shook her head, begging, "No. Father is furious. Neji is under house confinement. Seeing you will only make it worse. Please."

Sasuke looked away, trying to stem the flow of tears, "Please, Hinata-san. I…won't let him see me. I just have to see for myself."

Hinata opened her mouth but instead saw the tears on Sasuke's cheeks. She peered over his shoulder again, before sliding the door open.

"This way, Sasuke-kun."

As they neared the main study, where Hyuuga-sama worked, Sasuke could hear a combination of angry voices and strangled gasps. He almost burst into the room, had Hinata not placed a hand on him. She slid open the door, entering the study and sliding the door almost closed behind her. She left an inch for Sasuke to see through.

Sasuke watched as Hinata scurried over to stand beside her father.

"Who was at the door, Hinata?"

"Just a servant from next door, otou-san."

Sasuke peered around the room, seeing Neji standing against a wall. The boy's forehead was drenched in sweat, as were his clothes. He seemed weak, sick almost, swaying slightly in his standing position. Sasuke's heart ached.

"Neji-kun…do you still hold to your disgrace?"

The Hyuuga raised his chin, "I love him, Hiashi-sama. I cannot do anything otherwise."

Tears erupted in Sasuke's eyes, as he shut them tightly. He heard another strangled gasp, an almost animal cry, and he opened his eyes. Neji was on his knees on the floor, holding his head and trying to keep from screaming in pain. Hiashi was standing, two fingers raised before his eyes. Sasuke's eyes widened, _He's using Neji's Caged Bird seal to hurt him. Because of me. All because of me._

Hiashi lowered his head, and Neji's breath slowly returned to normal.

"Boy, do you realize if you do not reject the Uchiha, you will be a disgrace to this family, to this House, to all of us? I will give you a day to consider."

"…I cannot help it. Hiashi-sama," Neji's breath was shallow, almost painful to witness.

"Then you will _not_ be allowed to live…"

Unable to take anymore, Sasuke turned and bolted from the house, flying through the open door and launching off into the village. Sheer pain drove him, sending him flying from rooftop to rooftop. Before he realized it, he was at the training ground. He collapsed to the ground, sobbing frantically. His head was a litany of cries, all condemning him for Neji's pain.

_It's all your fault. You're poison. You kill everything you touch. Your family died. You betrayed your village. You ruined your friendships time and again. You fell in love with a boy. You denied your clan the chance at life, and now you've killed your love as well. Monster. Beast. Poison. You're a demon._

"No, no, no…"

Sasuke's sobs repeated themselves over and over, trying to deny the voices that screamed at him for vengeance. He shook his head back and forth, trying to shut them up. But they wouldn't go away.

_Because they're true._

This was a new voice. It did not scream or yell or try to dramatize. It simply was. It was quiet, mild, meek…resigned, despairing.

_They're all true. You can't help it. If you truly want to set things right, you have got to give up Neji. Now._

Sasuke's sobs subsided slowly, as he raised his head. The tear streaks on his cheeks dried into rivers of crusted salt. He took ragged breaths, trying to gather any vestiges of strength. He looked up. The sun was past the midpoint. It was the afternoon. He pulled himself to his feet, ragged and worn. He started walking, one step at a time, down into the village.

* * *

As he reached his home, he slid the gate open with a leaden hand. 

"Sasuke!"

His entire body felt electrocuted. Neji was sitting on the step in front of his house. The Hyuuga stood up, wincing as he did so. Sasuke looked away, feeling a fresh flood of tears brimming.

"I've been waiting for you…Sasuke? Look at me," Neji's voice was almost pleading…like Sasuke had never heard it before.

The Uchiha forced his eyes to be flat and emotionless. He turned his head to meet Neji's gaze with an indifferent, cold stare.

"Why?" he demanded, hating his own soul for the words he spoke.

Neji's face instantly flinched, betraying his hurt and pain. Sasuke ached to run forward, to bury his face in the boy's shirt, and sob out an apology for all the pain. But that wouldn't keep Neji from being hurt.

"I…wanted to talk about last night," the Hyuuga said quietly.

"Oh, last night," Sasuke shrugged, crossing his arms. "I meant to tell you then. I don't want you."

Neji swayed as if physically struck. His legs shook, and he caught a beam in the doorpost to hold himself upright.

"You…have chosen then?"

Sasuke nodded, uncaring on the outside, screaming on the inside, "My clan is more important than some passing crush or fancy I have. I have to think of my family and my honor."

Neji flinched again, "I…understand, Sasuke."

Three tears fell from those pale white eyes, as Neji released the doorpost and almost staggered towards the door. As he passed Sasuke, their shoulders almost touched, but Sasuke sidestepped, avoiding all contact. More tears struck the dirt of the courtyard.

"You should go," Sasuke said coolly. "I don't want anyone seeing you."

Neji nodded wordlessly, continuing to walk out of the courtyard, until he vanished around the gate. Sasuke's knees unlocked, sending him pitching into the ground. He began to sob uncontrollably. He pulled himself across the ground, dirt staining his clothes, until he reached his door. Sliding it open, he pulled himself inside, shutting it again. Now protected from the outside world, Sasuke let his sobs erupt, as he curled into a ball and rocked himself back and forth.

_Oh kami, Neji…please forgive me. I love you, but it's the only way to keep you alive. Please…please…oh kami, please…_

…_forgive me…_

…_I love you…_

* * *

**Oh. My. God. I swear, I am a sadist. I feel like killing myself right now. How could I torture these boys like this? I don't deserve to live.**

**Anyway, coming at a phenomenal (for me) 6,930 words, this is the single largest chapter I have ever written. Again, I'm sorry for making you all wait so long. I hope this mega-chapter with its plot developments makes up for it. I promise to try and update more regularly. If you want progress reports, check out my new LiveJournal. The link is on my profile page.**

**Until next time, everyone.**


	14. Running from the Stars

**Wow…over two months since my last update. Really weird. The holidays were insane, and on top of that, I had to get my computer wiped, because it was laggishly slow. So I lost all my work on Chapter 14. Alright…some reviews for faithful reviewers.**

**Kawaii Kitsune-kun: **Of course, most constant (and obsessive) reviewer. I'm glad this story can make you that excited. I suppose that's a good thing, ne?

**Bitenshi: **Haha, yes, Kiba breakdanced. But I wanted to make it something different, ja? Not just like, "And then Kiba started breakdancing." It had to be subtle enough not to break canon. Like I'm not breaking canon enough with NejixSasuke.

**Kazoua: **From my toughest reviewer, I'll take that as a compliment. Danke.

**Again, I apologize for the lateness. And now…onto our more technical discussion.**

**I had originally intended to end the story very soon, with Neji's family being the rising action before the climax and then a brief epilogue. However, in the past two months (yes, I was actually doing something), I developed an idea that could potentially take this story on a much longer route than I had anticipated (where have you heard _that_ before?). So…my question is this:**

**Would you rather this story ended in the foreseeable future, or would you rather it took several more twists, turns, and possibly several more broken hearts and angsting sequences for who knows how much longer?**

**Review and let me know.**

* * *

**Chapter 14- "Running from the Stars"**

Dawn found Sasuke sitting on his window sill, legs held loosely against his chest. His cheeks were dry and his face impassive. Unseeing eyes watched the light break over the horizon; a new day in Konoha. Inside his head, thoughts jumbled and burned and twisted around, forming and un-forming words with the fluidity of water.

_It won't work. I cannot watch us be apart. It cannot be done._

Unlike the previous day, there was no sobbing, no crying, and no self-abuse inside his head. It was as if he reverted to his old manner of thinking: cool, impassive, and uncaring. His heart had iced over to keep from hurting anymore. It may not have been the best of solutions, but at least it worked.

_I don't know what else to do. Both of our concentrations will suffer; our teams will suffer. Konoha will suffer. It is an unacceptable liability. I'll have to leave._

His thoughts flashed back to a time, over four years ago. He had left then too…to disastrous ends.

_I cannot put them through that again. I'll have to have permission to leave. It will be difficult to obtain. I do not know how…_

It came to him as simply as the rays of light broke over the mountains. Of course. It was obvious. Only one person could help him with this problem. He'd visit him as soon as he got out of training. It was the only way. The one and only way.

* * *

It was nearly midday, and Kakashi was taking a well-deserved break from the arduous jounin responsibilities. Well-deserved, he assured himself before reaching into the pouch at his waist for that lovely orange-covered piece of fine literature. The kind you do not show to your mother. Of course it was a well-deserved break. Completely. Categorically deserved. 

A timid knock sounded on his office door. He paid no attention to it, engrossed as he was in the Paradise adventures, until his mild secretary stepped into the room.

"Kakashi-san?"

He waved a hand in dismissal, "Go away."

"B-but, Kakashi-san, there's someone…"

"Tell them to go away too."

"Kakashi-san, it's…"

"I'm on break."

The poor secretary had only a moment to inhale breath before a sudden dark-blue blur slipped past her, causing her to waver violently in mid-air, arms flailing for balance.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

The jounin's only visible eye lifted, "Sasuke-kun?"

"I have a request," the boy's voice was flat, cool, and uncaring.

With the practiced face of a poker player, the jounin ignored the wildly unbalanced kunoichi behind Sasuke, "Honto ka? What is it?"

"I want to take my jounin test now," again, he seemed chillingly like his old, vengeful self.

Kakashi did not like the comparison.

_CRASH!_ Kakashi's silver hair shifted as he altered his view to eye the now-fallen, and thoroughly dazed, secretary. Another shift of his head and his eyes were back on Sasuke.

"Why the haste? You're scheduled to depart in a few weeks as it is."

Sasuke just stood still, arms planted on Kakashi's desk. The jounin waited the required seven seconds when dealing with teenagers and continued on.

"Has it something to do with a certain someone?"

The cold black eyes rested on Kakashi. Blink. Blink. Breath.

"I see. You understand, Sasuke-kun…your jounin test is not to be taken lightly. It will take you away from Konoha for half-a-year at the very least."

A muttered word emerged from Sasuke's mouth, sounding very much like "perfect."

Kakashi's eyebrow quirked slightly, "If you're that certain…"

Again, the eyes flickered with decisiveness. Blink. Blink. Stare.

"Very well then. I will present your request to the Hokage. You are sure, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha was silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was lower and huskier than usual. It was tinged with regret…and a little bit of pain.

"Surer than I have been about many things."

With that, the teenage ninja turned and stepped over the fallen body of the secretary, through the door and out of the building.

* * *

It took several hours for Kakashi to complete his work (read: finish his book) and get to the Hokage Tower. When he finally did have a chance to speak with Tsunade, she was less than thrilled with Sasuke's choice of timing. 

"Kakashi, we specifically chose the Western Islands mission for Sasuke's jounin trial. It was a mission tailored uniquely to his qualifications. We cannot move up the timetable for that mission."

The jounin stifled a yawn, nodding, "I agree, Hokage-sama. We'll have to give him another mission."

Tsunade shook her head violently, "No, he'll take that mission or none at all."

Silence.

The Godaime watched him carefully from the corner of her eye, "What?"

For once, Kakashi's voice was quiet and firm, as if he felt conviction for what he was saying.

"Godaime-sama…I believe we should allow Sasuke this opportunity."

"Why?"

"He is in a rather…difficult situation now. A mission is exactly what he needs."

"But the Western Islands mission is in a few weeks. He could undertake that one, and upon success, he could be home in a matter of weeks. It's the ideal test."

"Hokage-sama, he does not _wish_ to be home. Now…or in a few weeks."

Tsunade was silent for a moment, "What is scaring him away?"

"His feelings. He believes himself to be trapped between love and duty, and he wishes to escape the trap."

"Can we allow him to take the jounin test in such a vulnerable state?"

"I do not believe we have much of a choice, Hokage-sama."

"What mission would you give him, Kakashi?"

"The Hidden Waterfall assignment."

With a puzzled look, Tsunade reached over to her desk, withdrawing a folder. She opened it, scanning the kanji written briefly. Her eyes flickered right to left, finally rising to rest on Kakashi.

"He'll be gone more than six months."

"As he wishes to be."

"It's a deep cover assignment."

"He'll be able to be someone else."

A sigh accompanied the soft thwack of the folder hitting the desk, "Are you sure we should encourage his moodiness, Kakashi? You know him best of all."

"It's not moodiness, Hokage-sama. It's a matter of survival."

Tsunade steepled her fingers, resting her forehead lightly against them. She took a deep breath before releasing it slowly.

"Very well. Give Sasuke the Hidden Waterfall assignment."

Kakashi bowed, retreating from the room after a deep "Thank you, Godaime-sama."

* * *

Sasuke lifted the backpack from the ground, setting it up on the table in the center of the room. His thin fingers deftly pulled apart its contents, checking to make sure he had everything Kakashi had said he would need. His mind analytically catalogued the steps involved; his heart was somewhere else entirely. 

_The look on his face. The hurt in his eyes. I can't live with that each day. And now…I won't have to. I will be able to leave Konoha behind until both our hearts heal. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I know the Godaime would never have agreed unless you persuaded her._

His hands completed their given task, and Sasuke closed the flap of the backpack with a sigh. He slid the strap around his shoulders, letting it hang diagonally across his chest. Kakashi had not told him what the assignment was, merely what supplies to bring. He had made it sound as if Sasuke would be somewhere populated for a very long time. The last Uchiha shifted the backpack's position just slightly to a more comfortable fit and slid the door to his house open. Before stepping out, he turned his head, taking a look at the house that had sheltered him for seventeen years. It was very likely…he might never see it again. A whispered prayer went out to the house, thanking it for the years of protection and comfort it had given to him.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke's eyes flicked out to the front gate where Sakura was standing, leaning forward pensively to see if he had heard her. A brief flicker in his eyes acknowledged her call.

"Sasuke-kun…I came to…wish you good luck on your test. Please, do well and succeed," she bowed at the end, formalizing the request.

He grunted, offering a curt nod in return. She understood he was grateful. Making more of it was simply unnecessary. She raised her head, taking a breath as she did.

"Sasuke-kun…I have a gift for you. It's a charm. My mother gave it to me when I began ninja school. It's the kanji for 'luck.' Perhaps it will aid you in your test."

She held out a thin silver chain. It was short, and at the end rested a delicate kanji. Sasuke stared at it blankly for a moment, before reaching out and taking it with a bow.

"Arigato, Sakura," he said quietly, with heartfelt sincerity. "Arigato gozaimasu."

The pink-haired girl dashed a few tears away, smiling brightly, "I know you'll return, Sasuke-kun. You'll succeed."

With another nod, Sasuke thanked her for her confidence. Another adjustment of the shoulder strap, and he stepped past the kunoichi and turned towards the edge of the village. His steps resounded in the dust like wooden logs falling in the forest. They were methodical, almost mechanical in their motions. As he walked, he barely noticed the villagers pause and bow. The village knew their prodigy was leaving for something, even if they did not know the particulars. And they knew he meant never return. There was an almost deathly silence on the streets as Sasuke walked, head high. The soft thump of his feet rippled the air before stilling out again to silence.

He turned a corner, the gate appearing just in front of him. Kakashi was waiting, a backpack lying at his feet as well. The jounin raised a lazy hand.

"Yo."

Sasuke just grunted acknowledgement, moving to stand casually beside him.

"You ready to go?"

"Hn."

"Said your goodbyes?"

Sasuke glanced away, failing at the casual air he attempted. Kakashi nodded silently, choosing to dispel the moment with a yawn.

"Then we should get started."

"OY, SASUKE!"

The Uchiha was nearly bowled over by a blonde-and-orange whirlwind as Naruto pounced from a nearby rooftop.

"You didn't say good-bye to me!" the boy complained.

Sasuke picked himself off the ground, brushing dirt, "Dobe."

It wasn't much of a statement, but it was enough. Naruto softened almost immediately. Tiny glistens appeared in his eyes, masked by rapid and furious blinking.

"Don't get killed or anything," he warned.

Sasuke nodded, treating it seriously, "Hn."

The Uchiha turned and began to walk out of the village gate, Kakashi following casually close behind. Naruto watched as the two figures moved off into the distance.

"YO, SASUKE!"

The smaller figure stopped, turning just slightly back towards Naruto.

The blonde cleared his throat, speaking loudly enough for his voice to carry without shouting, "I'm…sorry. About…you know."

A slight motion of the other's head acknowledged the comment. A light breeze carried the boy's words back to the blonde.

"Sayonara, Naruto."

* * *

The two shinobi trudged along in silence. The soft rustle of leaves beneath of their feet set up a fluid rhythm, making a methodical pattern to sink into. Neither had spoken since they had left the gates of Konoha, and neither seemed willing to break the silence for any topic of conversation. Sasuke himself simply found his body moving of its own free will. His mind was a blank slate, with jumbled markings all over it. His thoughts dissipated and reformed like smoke from a candle trapped in a glass bowl. _Numb. That's how I feel: numb. As if I've taken more pain than I can handle. It seems like I have completely shut down_. 

A sideways glance at Kakashi revealed the jounin's complacent steps. The Uchiha flicked his gaze back to the path, foregoing the sudden thought that he knew nothing of his mission. Even where they were heading was a mystery to him. His black eyes flickered with something akin to resignation. _Wherever it is, it's far from him. He'll be free of me._

"Sasuke."

The Uchiha continued walked in pace with Kakashi, only turning his head slightly to acknowledge his name.

"I need to give you your assignment."

Sasuke nodded silently. _I am doing everything as if someone else is controlling me. Is this what it really means to be separate in body and emotions?_

"You will be undertaking your test in Hidden Waterfall. It is an undercover assignment, requiring you to maintain a false identity and create an illusion of normality."

_You have no idea how ironic that phrase is, _"Hn."

"Hidden Waterfall is one of the most secretive communities among the ninja villages. It possesses some of the best internal security forces in any of the countries. Maintaining an undercover identity there will be truly a test."

Sasuke's eyes met Kakashi's, "Undercover assignments are B-class, at the highest. Why is this different?"

"Very perceptive. Konoha would like to have a ninja in Hidden Waterfall who becomes part of the community and integrates himself in the day-to-day life of the village. That is your assignment for now. I will tell you there is a second objective, but you will not know when it will arrive. You must strike the proper balance between expediency and discretion in your cover. I suggest, for the purposes of ease, you make friends with lots of friends so your circle of influence widens. Remember, in Hidden Waterfall, one slip could mean imprisonment and even assassination."

With a nod, Sasuke asked another question, "Have I any cover identity to assume?"

Kakashi reached into his backpack, withdrawing some papers, "Here is your birth certificate from a small village in the Earth country. Your name is Utaka Sakaro. You'll find the information in there. You have until we reach the border of the Fire country to memorize your information."

Sasuke accepted the papers casually, flipping through them as he walked. His dark eyes scanned the lines of kanji, committing to memory most of the facts at first glance. The more in-depth details (such as ancestral shrine locations and family traditions) took more than one read-through to memorize. The silence continued on in relative peace as Sasuke read. Kakashi apparently did not wish to disturb the connection between ninja and cover. After all, Sasuke's life might—would depend on it for the next six months.

* * *

The sun rose early the next morning. Its light filtered casually through the leafy canopy above, making twisted geometric patterns on the grass below. Sasuke's eyes gradually noted the change in light, dragging a grudging ninja up into wakefulness. The Uchiha's eyes cracked open, shutting again almost instantly to block the sharp pain. Openclose. Open—close. Open. Close. A full blink. It was a long eight seconds after he awoke before he was able to sit up and rub the gritty sand from his eyes. He yawned, stretching his tired limbs before scanning the clearing. 

Kakashi was asleep, still, lying on a thin mat in the center of the clearing. Sasuke's own mat was near the edge, away from the open area. It hinted at the deeper recesses of their minds: Kakashi was open and in plain sight; Sasuke was shrouded in secrecy and hidden truths. Or he was just overanalyzing everything. It was much too early for deep thoughts.

Body leaden with stiffness, Sasuke forced his limbs to move as he crawled out of the warm mat onto the cool, damp grass. He ripped a handful of the blades of grass from the ground, wiping his face with them to freshen up. He yawned again, tossing the grass carelessly aside. He rolled his neck in a circular arc slowly, feeling the muscles and tendons snap and crack into position. With another stretch of his shoulders, he prepared to fold up his mat.

"Ohayo."

For a jounin-to-be, Sasuke had remarkably lax discipline when it came to Kakashi. Of course, Kakashi could startle the Fourth with his antics…and the Fourth was _dead_. That had to be some kind of excuse. After recovering from the slight jerk that passed through his body, Sasuke turned to greet his teacher.

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei."

With an eye-twitch, Sasuke noted that the teacher was not only awake but also dressed and carrying a rolled-up mat on his back. There was no trace of where he slept. _…are we sure Naruto's the only one in Konoha with demon powers?_ Sasuke mused lazily. He finished rolling his mat into a pack before standing and nodding to Kakashi.

The jounin eyed him with that lone eye for a moment before turning and moving silently off towards the edge of the forest. Not paying much attention to his leader's silence, Sasuke followed obediently. A rustle of paper reminded him of the scroll tucked casually in his pack.

_Name: Utaka Sakaro  
Age: 17  
Date of birth: December 6  
Country of origin: Earth Country  
Village of origin: Rising Stones  
Father's name: Utaka Kimaru  
Mother's name: Utaka Mayuri  
Siblings: None  
Surviving family: None_

Satisfied in his grasp of the vital statistics on his traveling papers, Sasuke permitted his mind to wander a bit. _I'll need a job once I get there. Perhaps I should work as a messenger? Or in a local store. Hm. I'll have to evaluate where would give me the most advantages when I arrive._

His mind suddenly computed that Kakashi had stopped moving. In similar form, Sasuke came to a leisurely halt beside his sensei. They had exited the forest area, and they now stood on the edge of a wide, rutted road that wound its way through the terrain.

"Sasuke-kun, you know where this is?"

The ninja nodded slowly, "Orohito Highway. It leads to Hidden Waterfall."

With a nod, Kakashi affirmed his statement, "And that means you will be traveling alone from now on. You cannot be seen with someone this close to the village."

Sasuke nodded dispassionately. It had suddenly occurred to him, perhaps for the first time, that he was outside Konoha. Alone. Going on an undercover mission to a highly secure ninja village. He would be unaided and without reinforcements in Hidden Waterfall; his survival would depend on him alone. He'd thought after Orochimaru and the subsequent years, he would be ready for this. Suddenly, standing on the road, looking off to an unseen and uncertain future…he was not so confident.

A hand fell on his shoulder, and Kakashi leaned down, "This shall be the last time we see each other for a very long time, Sasuke-kun. Do well, survive, and make our village proud of you."

_Always the village, _"Hai, Kakashi-sensei."

The jounin nodded, turning back into the forest to leave. A breath passed before he stopped and turned again.

"Ano, Sasuke…"

"Hai, sensei?"

"Try to sort out your mind as well. Find peace at last. You deserve some rest after all you have dealt with."

A wry smile quirked Sasuke's lips, "So to relax, I'll be going undercover to the most secure ninja village in the world and trying to convince them all I'm a mere seventeen year old runaway?"

The smile was matched by a shift in Kakashi's mask, "Something like that."

Sasuke nodded, "I will do my best."

"I know you will."

"Sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your instruction and your advice."

Another crease appeared in the mask, "Good luck, Sasuke-kun."

"Thank you, sensei."

With one of his trademark lazy waves, Kakashi turned and vanished slowly into the dim vague outline of the trees. Sasuke let himself watch for three heartbeats before turning back to face the road.

It was big. It was open. He was the only one in sight.

A deep breath escaped his lips without a sound. A determined intake of breath, and the Uchiha shouldered his pack resolutely. One step forward. Nothing disastrous happened. Encouraged by this small success, Sasuke took another step…and another…and another. Fully reloaded with confidence, he strode resolutely along the rutted path, heading for the village of Hidden Waterfall.

* * *

After several hours of walking, Sasuke found the constant sound of his footsteps to be a uniquely annoying sound. Somehow he had not tended to hear them quite so loudly when he walked with another person, even in silence. But now that it was the _only_ sound to pierce the midday air, it had grown into a nasty, repetitive rhythm that screamed out for someone to stop it before it died of boredom. 

_Wonderful. Now I'm personifying my steps. How much lower can an Uchiha sink? What's next, will I start making hand puppets and making them talk to each other? Kami forbid._

A flicker on the periphery of his eye caused him to draw up short. Eyes darting casually from horizon to horizon, Sasuke continued to walk, eying the terrain suspiciously. Another movement beyond a slight rise in the ground made him grip the straps on his pack more firmly. He had no weapons; how would he explain them at Hidden Waterfall? He had to rely on taijustu techniques to defend himself. Even that was risky, since the style of his combat could be traced back to Konoha. Any chakra use, ninjutsu or genjutsu, was out of the question. He would have to fight using only the most basic and common techniques. _Perfect._

"Konnichiwa."

Sasuke paused in his steps, slowly turning around. Behind him stood a burly man, short but stocky. He was dressed in a mishmash of styles and carried twin wakizashi strapped across his back. _A bandit. He must have support around here._

The bandit waited another moment before continuing, "Don't you know you're supposed to greet someone who greets you? Manners, manners. What's your name?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "It's also polite to introduce yourself before asking another's name. I am Utaka Sakaro. And you are?"

The bandit gestured to himself with a thumb, "Michiru Yokohiro. No doubt you've heard of me."

His only answer was a blank stare from the ninja.

"I am the leader of the Michiru Bandits! Most feared bandits in these parts."

Sasuke blinked, "Bandits? I see only one…"

Michiru growled roughly, "Not for long!"

Two more burly men appeared from various angles, glaring balefully at Sasuke. The Uchiha eyed them all, altering his stance just slightly to allow his field of vision to include all of them.

"So I see. In that case, konnichiwa."

Michiru chuckled, "Polite now, ain't he?"

Another of the bandits nodded, drawing out a nasty-looking axe, "Yeah, he is, boss. Let's make it quick…for politeness' sake."

Sasuke dropped his pack on the ground, stepping over it so he straddled the small package of goods.

Michiru smiled wickedly, "Just hand over the pack, kid, and no one gets hurt."

At this point, Sasuke was already mapping out a plan of action to carry him over to Michiru fast enough to incapacitate him before the other bandits had a chance to intervene. Hopefully, severing the head of the snake would be enough to prevent it from fighting back in this case. He silently began the countdown. _5…4…3…2…_

_Thwack!_

He blinked curiously, staring blankly at the arrow that had somehow sprouted from the ground beneath Michiru's feet. He eyed it for another half-second before the horse's whinny reached his ears. A slow turn and a quick glance identified a mounted figure on top of a hill just to Sasuke's left. A bow was in the rider's hand, and another arrow was loosely strung.

"Gomen nasai!" came the voice from the rider. "My fingers slipped, and the arrow just kind of flew out. Don't worry. I'll aim next time."

The bandit's face contorted in a sneering glare, "And who the hell are you?"

From his position on the horse's back, the figure made a slight bow, "Ikorin Tenji, at your service."

_THWAM!_ Sasuke's elbow collided solidly with Michiru's jawbone with a loud cracking sound. In the seconds provided by the rider's appearance, he'd crossed the distance with enough force to solidly incapacitate the bandit leader. The other two bandits gaped in shock for a moment before leaping forward with raised weapons and voices.

_Thwack._

Another arrow embedded itself into the ground before them, causing the two men to skid to a halt. Ikorin Tenji was still on the hilltop, bow bent with another arrow sighted.

Sasuke eyed them carefully, "Take your leader and get out of here."

He stepped away, allowing them to each grasp an arm of their unconscious leader. The two men grunted and struggled, eventually dragging him away into the forested area. Sasuke watched them carefully to see if they were truly gone before turning around again. He stepped back towards his fallen pack, picking it up again and settling it comfortably on his back.

"…so…aren't you going to thank me?"

Sasuke's head turned slightly, "Your horse moves quietly. I did not hear him climb down the hill. Nor did I hear you dismount."

The young man shrugged casually, "There are a lot of undesirables nearby. It pays to move quietly."

He bowed formally, meeting Sasuke's eyes briefly, "Ikorin Tenji. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The Uchiha's black eyes looked flatly into the light green ones of the other young man. He dispassionately examined the high cheekbones and graceful cut of his clothes. _Nobility. Or at least the son of a wealthy merchant who had the good fortune to be born with a prince's looks._

A slight smile tugged at Ikorin's lips, "And you are…?"

It was all Sasuke could do to remain impassive; he had not quite realized he had not introduced himself in return.

"Utaka Sakaro desu. The pleasure is mine."

"It is good to meet you, Utaka-san. May I ask where you are heading?"

A thin eyebrow curved upwards, "For what reason, Ikorin-san?"

"These are dangerous parts. Perhaps if you are going my way, we could travel together."

"You did not seem concerned to be traveling by yourself before meeting me on the road. Thank you, but I must refuse. I am capable of looking after myself."

Another innocent-looking smile crossed Ikorin's face, "Was it that obvious?"

"Hai."

"Then my apologies for the insult. The bandits you encountered may return in more numbers. They will not take you so lightly the next time."

Sasuke pondered this for a moment, carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages. In spite of himself, he found Ikorin Tenji rather interesting…in a very clinical way. The young man was extremely self-assured, to the point of annoyingly so. Somehow, he managed to pull his demeanor off without being insulting. Much.

Ikorin took the pause for an opportunity, "I'm afraid I only have one horse, so we'll have to ride together. Assuming you're going to Hidden Waterfall, we should arrive within an hour or so."

Sasuke felt the urge to reject the offer, but it really was the best course of action, "Very well. You have my thanks."

Ikorin's face briefly revealed a smile that spoke of true pleasure. _How very odd._ He smiled pleasantly at Sasuke as he mounted, reaching a hand down to help him into the saddle. Sasuke ignored it, placing a hand on the front and back of the leather mount, pulling himself into position. Ikorin chuckled slightly but made no comment.

"If you're ready…"

"Hn."

Ikorin spurred the horse into a light trot down the road. Sasuke balanced himself easily on the horse's back, trying to ignore his rather uncomfortable situation. Inside, his mind was churning quickly. _If he is also traveling to Hidden Waterfall, I must keep my cover intact with him. Perhaps a touch more innocence wouldn't hurt so much._

"I…am sorry for being so rude earlier," he said quietly, letting a bit of repentance into his tone.

Ikorin's head turned, containing the hints of a smile, "It is forgiven. I did not expect you to welcome me with open arms."

"Nonetheless, you did me a favor. I should have been more grateful," _Damn. This is hard. I remember why I never apologize now._

"You seemed to be able to hold your own. Where did you learn to fight?"

"My…father was a police officer in our village. He taught me some of the basics."

"What village was that?"

Sasuke was silent.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to pry."

The Uchiha nodded quietly, "It is forgiven."

They rode in silence. Sasuke allowed himself to look at the scenery, and occasionally at the boy in front of him. Ikorin himself did not display much interest in the scenery…though Sasuke caught him looking over his shoulder at him a few times. Ikorin never shied from the eye contact, holding it for a heartbeat before turning back towards the front.

_He reminds me…of…_ Sasuke shook his head, forcibly clearing the thoughts from his mind.

"Are you alright, Utaka-san?"

"Hm?" Sasuke said, not understanding.

"You shook your head a moment ago. Are you feeling well?"

"…" _A blush._ "Hai, arigato. I was just feeling a little tired."

"You can see the walls of Hidden Waterfall through those trees. We'll be there in a few minutes. Have you eaten?"

Actually, Sasuke had not eaten at all that day. It had been necessary to give the image of a runaway. He shook his head in the negative.

"Do you have a place to go when we reach Hidden Waterfall?"

"I intended to check at an inn for a room…"

"I'll take you to my inn. I'm sure you'll be able to find something."

Sasuke opened his mouth to reject but realized Sakaro probably wouldn't say that, "Please do not concern yourself."

"It's no concern."

Sasuke realized he had very little way out of this situation. _I'll accept for now. Later, I can re-establish myself where I want._ So, he nodded in thanks.

"Good," Ikorin sounded genuinely pleased with himself. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

As they entered Hidden Waterfall, Sasuke watched everything around him open up with deceptively innocent eyes. He watched the walls and counted the guards; he observed the shops and evidence of prosperity; and he watched the people. They deserved to be called the most secure village: every fourth or fifth person he saw was a ninja. About one-third of them were undercover as normal townsfolk. He suspected there were at least another ten he had not identified.

"Have you never seen a ninja village before, Utaka-san?" Ikorin asked evenly.

Sasuke shook his head, "Never. I had never left my village before…coming here."

The carefully calculated pause sounded unsure and hesitant—exactly as it was meant to. Ikorin seemed to understand the hesitation and moved on.

"The Inn of the White Bird is here. It's in the center of town, and it is very popular. Do you plan to stay long?"

"I don't know. I…will need to find work to pay for my rooms. I don't have much money."

Ikorin nodded, "You'll find the innkeeper very accommodating. She is a personal friend of mine as well."

It was at this moment that Sasuke's eye caught the sign for the inn. _A teahouse. Perfect. I should be able to find out at least some preliminary things there. Perhaps it was fortunate I ran into Ikorin. _The horse stopped, seemingly without a command from Ikorin. A groom came forward to take the reins, while Ikorin dismounted. Sasuke swung a leg over the saddle to dismount…and found Ikorin reaching up with a hand to help him. _What am I, a damn princess?_ Sasuke ignored the hand again, jumping lightly to the ground. That smile reappeared on Ikorin's face. _Damn smug bastard._ A woman, elderly but still rather attractive, appeared on the porch.

Ikorin smiled up at her, "Okaeri, Anya-san."

"Tadaima, Tenji-kun. How was your ride? Picked up a traveler I see."

"Hai. His name is Utaka Sakaro. I wonder if perhaps you could provide him with a room here at the inn."

Sasuke made a conscious effort not to glare at either of them. _I am standing right here_. He stepped forward.

"Gomen nasai, Anya-san. Ikorin-san speaks too soon. I asked him not to concern himself."

The innkeeper smiled warmly, "It was a polite request but a foolish one. Tenji-kun always concerns himself with people that interest him."

…_what the hell? I "interest" him. Am I a damn flower?_

The woman continued, "Utaka-san, I am afraid I currently have no rooms available at the moment. Unless…if you would care to share a room with Tenji-kun, you would only have to pay half-price for the lodgings."

Sasuke decided that the mild runaway act could only go so far. It was time to put his foot down. Unfortunately…he was beaten by another foot.

"Of course! It would be at least until you could find work, Utaka-san. A temporary place until you find one of your own."

_Damn. You. _"I really don't wish to…"

The innkeeper waved a hand, "It'll be no inconvenience, Utaka-san. Tenji-kun will not mind the company or the half-rate he will not have to pay. We can also see about getting you some work here."

_This has gone much too far. Much. Much. Too far._ But before a sufficient protest had exited his mouth, his pack was being taken by a porter into the second story of the inn. Sasuke released a resigned sigh. _A teahouse **is**__a good place to learn about a village. Working here would certainly establish a place for me. Perhaps I should give it a try._

Another moment later, he found himself ushered into the tearoom, seated, and given a steaming bowl of rice and chicken along with a cup of tea. Anya fussed over him, making sure he was comfortable. Despite his general annoyance with his lack of say in what was done to him, Sasuke had to admit: being treated like a long-lost relative was a bit comforting. Just a bit.

* * *

"You do…_what_?" Sasuke asked, evenly. 

The mild manners had slowly been slipping away from him as time had passed. Now, in the deepening night, he had basically run out of mildness around Ikorin. At this moment, the other boy was sipping tea passively…as if it was nothing unusual.

"I sing. Here, at the teahouse. Mostly traditional music during the day. At night, I have a small apartment in another part of town. It's the hottest spot for the nightlife here."

Anya nodded, "He's very talented. In fact, he is one of the main reasons the inn has done so well."

Ikorin seemed to blush but did not contradict the innkeeper.

"Now, Utaka-san. It's time we decided what to do with you?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed a bit, "I beg your pardon?"

"I have an opening here at the inn for work. You would serve food and tea. …you can serve tea, ne?"

Numbly, Sasuke felt his head nodding. _No. Absolutely not. I do not want to be a damn waiter. …However…it would be good to learn the way the village runs. If this is the most popular teahouse, officials and even ninja might come regularly._ He sighed; apparently, uncover missions required sacrifice.

"Thank you for the offer. I would be honored to serve here," he bowed at the end of his statement.

Anya returned the bow, but her face broke into a smile, "No need to be so formal, Utaka-san. In fact, would you mind if I called you Sakaro-kun?"

Sasuke shook his head, "Not at all."

Ikorin leaned back, "Well, Sakaro-kun, your first day in Hidden Waterfall, and already you have a room, a job, and a new mother to watch out for you."

With a sudden thought, Sasuke tightened his hands around the teacup, whitening them considerably. He placed it down firmly, with a slight chink, before standing.

"I do not remember granting _you_ permission to call me such. If you'll excuse me, Anya-san…"

Without another word, he turned and left the room. Sliding the door shut after him, he walked slowly but deliberately up the stairs towards his—and Ikorin's—room. _A runaway would be extremely sensitive at the mention of his parents. It was the proper move. _He felt slightly pleased with the ease at which he adapted to his cover story. Sliding the door to his room open, he identified his pack (which appear untouched) near one mat. He knelt down, opening it to remove his sleeping kimono.

His ears heard the door slide open behind him, but he refused to turn around. Soft footsteps walked towards him, before a hand was laid on his shoulder. Sasuke stiffened, intentionally appearing upset.

"Utaka-san, I apologize. I was not thinking when I spoke. Please accept my apologies."

A pang of remorse shot through Sasuke's stomach. The contrite tone in Ikorin's voice was honest and pained. The Uchiha made a decision to let him off of the bed of needles.

"It is forgiven, Ikorin-san. I should not have been so rude."

He barely heard the breath of relief escape the other boy's lips.

"Thank you. I hope you can overlook the offense."

The Uchiha nodded, standing up and turning around to face Ikorin, "Very well."

He stepped past the other boy, intending to head for the baths before retiring. At the door, he paused, looking over his shoulder. Ikorin was removing his shirt, letting it drop to the floor. He picked up a silken shirt, designed for sleeping and slid it over his head. With a pause he turned to look back at Sasuke, who suddenly realized he hadn't said anything. And he'd been staring blankly. _Why? Not hard to figure out. Apparently, my…preference does not only refer to Neji. Damn. Major damn._

"Yes, Utaka-san?"

Sasuke shook his head, turning back around and heading for his bed. All thoughts of the bed left his mind; he wanted to sleep. Changing his own clothes quickly, he kept studious eyes on his own side of the room. The vaguest feeling of being watched lingered in his mind, but he dismissed it as paranoia. _Of course, my fortune would naturally land me in the room with a perverted singer._ He slid between the cover and the mat, facing the wall casually. The sounds on the other side of the room stilled. For once in his life, Sasuke felt uncomfortable in the silence. Things had not ended the day very well. It was unusual too, to sleep in another's room. Especially one as unknown as Ikorin.

"Ikorin-san?"

A rustle suggested the other had sat up, "Yes, Utaka-san?"

"Please. Call me Sakaro-kun."

"Only if you'll do the same."

"Very well. Oyasumi nasai…Tenji-kun."

"Oyasumi nasai, Sakaro-kun."


End file.
